The Truce
by AliasCWN
Summary: The Rat Patrol and Dietrich agree to a truce that has long term effects that could change the dynamics between them.
1. Chapter 1

**The Truce**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 1

Troy had Hitch pull the jeep into a wadi to cool the engine. Leaping from the rear of the vehicle he pointed his weapon at the man sitting in the passenger seat.

"All right Colonel, out."

Colonel Von Reiter eyed the weapon with distain. "Do you really think that you will make it all the way back to your lines with me?"

"Maybe not Colonel," Troy answered with a grin, "but we're sure going to try."

The Colonel huffed at the reply. "Believe me Sergeant, you'll never make it. By now my people know that I am missing."

"Most likely." The sergeant agreed pleasantly.

"And what of my daughter?"

Troy glanced at the second jeep and the defiant young lady sitting next to Tully. She glared back at him, her back ramrod straight.

"I guess that depends on you." Troy responded.

"You are fighting women now?" The Colonel responded.

"No Colonel, that has not changed. We have no wish to involve women, children, or civilians. When we attacked your escort we had no idea that your daughter was with you. If we had known, we would have done things differently."

"Yet here she is." The Colonel pointed out.

Troy sighed, frustrated with the situation. "The choice is yours Colonel. We can keep your daughter with us if you wish. The thing is, as you pointed out, that could be extremely dangerous."

"And if I say no?"

"We'll take your daughter to a German base and leave her there in the care of the base commander."

"What base?"

"There is a German base about thirty-five kilometers from here. The commanding officer is a captain named Hans Dietrich. I'm sure that he would take good care of her and make sure that she is returned safely to Germany."

"And what do I have to do in return to get you to do this?" The Colonel asked with suspicion.

"Just say the word Colonel; I told you, we aren't fighting women."

Colonel Von Reiter eyed Troy, gauging how much of what the sergeant said he could believe. The American met his gaze without flinching. Finally the Colonel nodded with a glance at his daughter.

"Very well Sergeant, I wish to send my daughter somewhere safe. How will you go about it?"

Troy shrugged. "We'll keep it simple. We'll take her to the base and fly a white flag. When the Captain comes out to see what it is that we want, we'll hand your daughter over to his care."

"She won't want to go." The Colonel warned.

"I don't see where she will have a choice." Troy replied grimly.

"You don't know my daughter." The German warned in a serious tone.

Troy looked over at the girl and took note of her defiant stance. Even in the short time he had known her, she had proven to be troublesome. From the moment that they had pulled her out of the staff car, she had been difficult.

"Hitch, take the Colonel's daughter over to the shade. Make sure that she's comfortable."

Hitch nodded and climbed out of his seat. Stepping to the other jeep, he offered the Colonel's daughter his hand. She promptly slapped it away, glaring at him angrily. The blond smiled at her attempt to push him away and offered his hand again.

"Colonel, advise your daughter to cooperate." Troy growled as he watched the exchange.

"She has a mind of her own as you can see." The Colonel stated smugly. Speaking rapidly in German, he encouraged his daughter to behave and not anger their captors.

"I don't wish them to touch me." Greta Von Reiter declared as she continued to glare at Hitchcock.

"Then do as they ask." Her father advised wisely. "Don't force them to touch you. Until now they have behaved as gentlemen but do not forget who it is that you are dealing with."

Greta turned startled eyes to her father. With a quick little cry, she slid hurriedly from the seat and stepped away from the American soldier before her.

With a little bow and a flourish Hitch pointed her toward the shade. He smiled and followed a few steps behind her as she went where he indicated.

Greta pulled her skirts around her and lowered herself toward the rock in the shade. Her knees had started to buckle in preparation for sitting. She gave a little scream as Hitch reached out and gripped her arm, pulling her back to her feet. With a little tug he pulled her toward him. Greta pulled her arms in front of her chest and pounded on the American's chest with her fists. Then, lowering her head, she bit the back of one of the hands that gripped her arm.

Hitch let out a yelp and released his grip. Greta almost fell as he released her. Off balance, she stumbled as he pushed her toward her father.

Her father stepped toward her, reaching out a hand. Sobbing, she ran into his arms.

Troy had spun at the scream, taking in the scene in a glance. Raising his weapon, he growled at the Colonel to stand still. "Hitch?"

"Scorpion Sarge." The blond answered, shaking his hand. Using his boot toe, he moved the smaller rocks aside to reveal a large scorpion. With a quick stomp of his boot he squashed the poisonous specimen. "She almost sat on it."

"Check and make sure that there aren't any more."

Hitch nodded and began a systematic search of the rocks.

Greta clung to her father and watched as the enemy soldier exposed the deadly scorpion. Realizing why he had grabbed her made no difference, he had dared to lay a hand on her. Her cheeks flamed with anger and indignation. Her father patted her arm to comfort her but she continued to fume.

Hitch finished his search, finding no more scorpions. Nodding to Greta, he indicated that it was now safe to take a seat.

She crowded closer to her father and shook her head defiantly.

"Sarge?"

"Let her stand, it's her choice." Troy growled again. "Help Tully with the jeeps and then take over on guard."

"Right Sarge." Hitch nodded and quickly went to help Tully refill the radiators. Tully checked the oil while Hitch filled the gas tanks. With the jeeps ready to go, Hitch went to stand guard.

"We'll take your daughter to Captain Dietrich." Troy turned back to Colonel Von Reiter. "Maybe it would be better if you explain to her what we are trying to do. Everything will be fine as long as she behaves."

Colonel Von Reiter held his daughter close and tried to find a way to convince her to cooperate. Finally he began to speak, trying to convince her that it was for her own safety. He made it clear that he would worry constantly if he thought that she was in danger. Greta finally relented but now without protest. She didn't want to leave him. She thought that they stood a better chance of escaping if they stayed together. She wanted to remain with him and plot their escape. Her father thought otherwise. He finally convinced her that he stood a better chance if he didn't have to worry about her safety.

Moffitt returned to the jeeps and reached for a canteen. Hitch had taken his place on watch, allowing him to join Troy. He listened to the argument as he swallowed the warm liquid. He nodded as Troy indicated that he wanted to talk in private. Replacing the canteen in the jeep, he followed the other sergeant away from the jeeps while Tully watched their prisoners.

"What's going on?" Troy indicated the Colonel and his daughter.

"Fraulein Von Reiter doesn't want to leave her father. She thinks if they stay together they can find a way to escape." The British sergeant translated in a low voice. "He's insisting that she cooperate and allow us to deliver her to Captain Dietrich."

"That's one stubborn woman." Troy observed with a frown.

"That she is." Moffitt agreed with half a smile. "She could be trouble." He felt the need to warn the other sergeant.

"Yeah," Troy smiled, "She's even immune to Hitch's charm. She bit his hand after he saved her from a scorpion. Getting stung wouldn't have been pleasant for her but she still didn't show any gratitude."

"They still don't know that I speak German and I think that we should keep it that way." Moffitt advised as he watched the two Germans.

"I'm okay with that." Troy agreed. "Keep an eye on them; I need to talk to Tully and Hitch. Hitch and I will take the girl to Dietrich while you and Tully take her father back to our base. We'll let her think that you are going to wait for us here. Maybe that will make her more cooperative. With luck, once we leave her they will concentrate their search close to here and give you a better chance of getting to our lines undetected. If you are spotted I want you to run for it, don't fight. Hitch and I will catch up later."

"Right Troy, but maybe Tully and I should be the ones to deliver the girl. I can communicate with her, you can't."

"And that is why we are going to do it. Maybe you can get something out of the Colonel. If her father tells her what we are doing we won't have to talk to her. Dietrich can talk to her once we get there."

"All right old man, Tully and I can handle it."

"I know you can," Troy replied with a smile, "never had any doubt."

The two groups split up. Troy and Hitch got the girl into their jeep and prepared to head for the German base. Tully and Moffitt watched in silence as Troy and Hitch got ready to go.

"Hitch, make sure that we have something white to use as a flag. We'll let Dietrich come to us; I don't want to get too close to the base."

"Right Sarge."

"Tully, take over watch, we'll be leaving soon."

Tully nodded and rolled his matchstick with his tongue.

Troy returned to Moffitt. "Did he convince her yet?" Troy grinned at the prisoners as he kept his voice low.

"She's agreed but she's not happy about it." Moffitt replied with a smile. "Be careful around her Troy."

"As long as she behaves I don't care if she's happy or not." Troy responded. He approached the prisoners, drawing their attention. "Well Colonel, has she decided to cooperate? Do we drop her off or is she going with us?"

The Colonel eyed Moffitt suspiciously before nodding his head. "Yes, she will behave. She has expressed a desire to be left alone, no touching."

Troy nodded. "Hitch was only trying to keep her from getting stung by the scorpion. If she wants to tangle with poisonous creatures, she's welcome to it, after she is out of our hands. Make no mistake Colonel, as long as we are responsible for her, we won't let any harm come to her if it can be avoided. Now with that said, no one will touch her as long as she does what we tell her when we tell her. We won't put ourselves in danger just because she wants to be difficult. If she behaves this will be over soon and she can be as rebellious as she wants. My men will not touch her unless it is necessary, they don't manhandle women."

"Fair enough Sergeant." The Colonel nodded. "I will explain all of that to her. Hopefully all will go well."

"You do that Colonel. I won't put my men at risk to humor her." Troy warned with a growl.

"I understand Sergeant."

Greta Von Reiter continued to fume as her father explained what the sergeant had said. Her eyes flared with anger that she should be submitted to their (what she considered to be vulgar) care. She failed to see how her father could view their actions as either decent or polite. With a sullen nod, she agreed to what her father asked of her.

"She understands Sergeant. She will do as you say. I am trusting you to keep your word."

"You have our word Colonel. I'll allow you a few minutes to say your farewells."

The Colonel nodded and turned to give his daughter a fatherly hug.

Troy stood back and allowed them to have a moment of privacy.

"Troy," Moffitt approached Troy with a map in his hand. "I've plotted our course so you will know where to look for us."

"All right, show me."

The two sergeants leaned over the map as Moffitt ran his finger over the route he had chosen. "Are you sure that you want to do this Troy?" Moffitt's dark eyes glittered with concern.

Troy shrugged and glanced over at the two Germans. "We don't fight women or civilians. I don't see where we have much choice. If we take her along she could get hurt long the way. Headquarters wants her father; they didn't say anything about her. They didn't mention her in any of the briefings so I'm guessing that they didn't know that she was with him."

"This could go very wrong."

"I know that Jack," Troy sighed, "but I'm not about to start fighting women just because it's easier."

"You're right, of course," Moffitt answered, "we really don't have much of a choice. Just be careful Troy, don't take any unnecessary chances."

"Dietrich will honor the white flag. Once we turn the girl over to him we'll push hard to get clear of the base and any search parties that they send out. You and Tully will have to be alert too; we won't be there to bail you out if you find trouble."

"Understood."

"Take care Sam."

"You too!"

With a call to his driver, Troy climbed into his jeep. Hitch took the wheel and waited for the Colonel to step away. Hitting the gas, they pulled out of the wadi while the three men left behind, stood watching. Greta looked back as long as she could see her father.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Truce**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 2

Watching the other jeep disappear into the distance behind them, Greta Von Reiter fought hard not to cry. She hated leaving her father, and she hated the men who forced her to do so. Her father and mother were no longer together and she had willing chosen to stay with her father rather than her mother. The two of them had grown close over the years and she refused to believe that this war could separate them, even for a short time. Biting her lip, she glanced at the Allied soldier in the driver's seat. Watching him out of the corner of her eye, she wondered if he could be manipulated if she were to turn on the charm. She doubted that the sergeant could be fooled, but the young one was another matter. Giving it some thought, she began to make her plans.

Troy reached down and tapped Hitch on the shoulder. "Let's stop for a break."

Hitch nodded and began to search for a location that would give them both shelter and a good view of the surrounding area. He blew a bubble and popped it absentmindedly. Seeing a wadi in the distance that fit their needs, he swerved his jeep in that direction.

Greta squealed and grabbed for the dash as the vehicle swerved.

Hitch looked over quickly, surprised at her reaction. He offered a quick apology even though he hadn't considered the turn to be that abrupt. At her cry, Troy had reached forward to support her by touching her shoulder.

Greta reached up and pushed Troy's hand away. She gave him an angry glare, showing her displeasure. To her annoyance, he merely smiled and leaned back. Looking over at the driver, she was angered that he too seemed to be ignoring her. He chewed lazily on his gum and steered the little vehicle one handed, looking totally relaxed. Straightening her back, Greta braced for the bumps, keeping her gaze straight ahead.

The jeep pulled into the wadi and stopped. She was surprised when it was the sergeant who grabbed a rifle and went to stand guard, leaving her alone with the private. Trusting her instincts, she made her move.

Without looking at her, the private climbed out of the jeep and lifted the hood. She could hear him doing something to the engine. Reaching up, she patted her hair into place and pasted a smile on her face. Sliding off of the seat, she braced herself to make nice with the enemy.

Greta slid her hand along the fender of the jeep seductively as she approached the blond private. She smiled shyly at him, fluttering her eyelashes, and lowering her head to peer at him through her lashes.

He glanced up at her approach and smiled at her.

Greta smiled wider, running her fingers slowly over the metal of the fender. She played with a lock of her hair with the other hand, smiling coyly. She noticed when the private noted her actions; his eyes narrowed and his breathing quickened. He held his breath for a second as their eyes met. Greta tried to appear friendly and approachable. Flicking a tendril of her hair behind her ear, she took another step toward him.

The private watched her curiously, a small smile playing on his lips. He eyed her with interest, a look she knew well.

Reaching out hesitantly, she ran a single finger up his arm. The young soldier looked down at her hand, keeping his eyes averted from her face. When he looked up he smiled again and she returned it. He said something to her, waiting for her response. Since she didn't speak English, she continued with her seduction; his tone suggested that he was not pushing her away; so far so good. She moved closer, intending to slide her body up next to his in an attempt to reach her goal.

The soldier looked up at his sergeant so she followed his gaze. The sergeant had his back to them, oblivious to what was happening. Encouraged, Greta returned her attention to her target. To her surprise, the soldier was once again ignoring her. He was once again working on his vehicle. As she watched he went to the rear of the jeep and got a can of water. He paid no attention to her as he filled the radiator. As he turned to return the can to the rear of the jeep he smiled at her again, watching her lips.

Greta followed him around the front of the jeep as he returned the can. Intending to grab the machine gun from the fender while his back was turned, she tried not to give away her intentions by looking toward the gun. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation as she pictured herself grabbing the weapon and rescuing her father. She would take the private prisoner and shoot the sergeant. The private could drive her back to where the others waited with her father. She would use her prisoner to get her father back.

The young soldier paused at the rear of the jeep to replace the can.

Greta took another step, edging closer to the weapon. She glanced toward the sergeant to make sure that he was still looking the other way. His back was still turned to them, his attention elsewhere. Greta reached for the weapon, keeping her eyes on the private. Her hand met only empty air. Turning her head, she stared at the empty holder, surprise evident on her face. Looking back, she was surprised and angry to see the private holding the missing weapon. His eyes twinkled with humor as he met her angry glare. She didn't have to fake her surprise but she did try to hide her disappointment. Trying to act as though she was insulted by his suspicious behavior, she brushed past him without a backward glance. His soft chuckle only infuriated her further.

Greta refused to look at either of them as the sergeant returned to the jeep. The two men talked briefly on his return. The sergeant took a drink of water before offering Greta the canteen. Greta glared at him, looking down at the canteen. With a quick move, she attempted to knock the water container from his hand.

At the last second Troy pulled the canteen back, making Greta miss her target. She lost her balance as she swung at Troy's hand and nearly fell. The sergeant only shook his head at her actions and turned to his jeep.

The private took the canteen and took a few sips before placing the canteen in the rear of the jeep out of the way. Glancing at Greta, the private dropped the machine gun back into its holder and listened as the sergeant gave him some instructions. Nodding, he began to dig through the boxes in the back of the jeep. Pulling some rations out of the box, he sorted through them, handing one to the sergeant. The sergeant returned to watching their surroundings as the private offered Greta her choice of the remaining rations, fanning them out for her to choose.

Remembering his chuckle after thwarting her earlier plan, she almost threw them in his face. At the last minute she decided to try again. Perhaps she could convince him that she had never meant to take the weapon. Giving him a shy smile, she carefully examined the offered rations. Choosing one, she thanked him politely, looking for a place to sit and eat her meal.

Turning the package over in her hands, she tried to figure out just what the packet contained. Not being able to read the writing on it, it was like opening a surprise grab bag. Wrinkling her nose at the package, she tried to pretend that she was going to enjoy it.

The blond private chuckled again as he watched her.

She looked toward him, startled by his laugh. Her face flushed red as she realized that he was laughing at her. Dropping her head, it took almost all of her self-control to keep from throwing the rations in his face. He saved her from temptation by turning away and carrying the remaining packet back to his jeep.

Sitting on a rock, Greta tried to open the packet. The seal resisted her attempt to separate the layers of wrapping. Using her teeth, she tried to open it by tearing the foil. The packet slipped from her hands and went flying through the air to land several feet away on the sand. Discouraged, she rose to go after her lunch.

A hand reached down to pick up the package before her hand touched it. She jumped in alarm since she hadn't heard his quiet approach. The private held the packet upright and used a knife to slice the top open. Holding it out to her, she watched as he slid the knife back into its sheath on his leg. Her eyes lingered there a moment before she caught herself and pulled her eyes away. Thanking him, she resumed her seat and tried to force herself to eat. The meal, whatever it was supposed to be, was nowhere near the quality that she was accustomed to eating. Greta had never tried to eat anything so bland or unappealing to the taste buds. As she tried to swallow a bite, she peered at the young American from under her lashes.

The thought of the knife he carried became the focus of her new plan. With a knife she could strike quietly and go after a gun after eliminating one of the enemy. It was this plan that was commanding all of her attention. She jumped again when the young soldier managed to sneak up on her for a second time. A canteen suddenly appeared in front of her face. Looking up at the private, she gave him a smile and gratefully accepted the offer.

The warm liquid still tasted like the tablet used to purify it. She made a face at the taste as she drank her fill. Greta couldn't decide which was worse, the rations or the water she used to wash them down. Covering her distaste for the water, the rations, and him, she smiled her thanks as she handed the canteen back to the private.

As he took the canteen back and recapped it, his attention was not on her. Greta turned and pretended to stretch her muscles. When he continued to ignore her, she made a dive for the knife. Her hand slid down his leg without coming in contact with the handle of the weapon. She gripped his arm to keep him off balance as she groped for the knife.

He caught his balance and stepped away from her, pulling free of her grasp easily. His expression was more amused than angry as she raised her eyes to his face. Taking another step backward, he gave her a mocking salute before turning back to the jeep.

Greta watched as he deposited the canteen in the little vehicle and leaned across the seat. She screamed in outrage as she watched him take his knife off of the seat and return it to the sheath on his leg. To add insult to injury, he didn't even acknowledge her displeasure. He completely ignored her scream and began packing their supplies to resume their journey. He double-checked the tie down holding the cover over the windshield, making sure that it didn't allow the sun to reflect off of the glass.

Greta wished that she had thought to move the cover earlier; maybe she could have revealed their location to the searchers she was sure were looking for them. Stomping her foot in the sand, she vowed to rescue her father, one way or another.

She was still sulking when the sergeant returned to the jeep. The private nodded at him as he surveyed the camp. Greta was sure that his eyes missed nothing. Realizing that her chance was lost, she chose to ignore both of them.

"Hitch!" The sergeant motioned his driver to his seat. Next he pointed at the passenger seat for Greta. She took her time taking her seat, hoping to irritate him for moving so slow. To her surprise, he didn't appear to care how slow she moved. He watched her poke all the way to the jeep with a smile on his face.

"Everything ready to go Hitch?"

"Ready Sarge."

"Has the lady fallen for your charms yet?"

Hitch laughed as Greta made her way slowly to her seat. "Yeah Sarge, she's getting there. I think she's softening."

Troy glanced skeptically at his driver, a look of disbelief on his face. "And just what makes you think that?"

"She tried to hold my gun for me, and when that didn't work, she grabbed my leg. It's a good thing that I left my knife in the jeep, she could have cut her fingers on the blade." The blond laughed at the look on Troy's face.

"Yeah," Troy agreed, "I can see where that may have spoiled the mood."

"My thoughts exactly." Hitch agreed.

"Be careful Hitch, she's dangerous." Troy cautioned seriously.

Hitch nodded thoughtfully, his eyes dark with emotion. "Don't worry Sarge, she's not my type. I'd sooner cozy up to that scorpion."

"I didn't know you had a type."

"Sure," Hitch grinned," I like the ones who prefer me alive."

Now it was Troy's turn to laugh. He climbed into the back of the jeep and waited for Greta to get comfortable.

"Do you think Moffitt and Tully got clear?" Hitch asked as he adjusted his goggles.

"We bought them all the time that we could; the rest is up to them. Let's roll."

Hitch started the jeep and pulled out of the wadi. Close to the German base, he drove cautiously, not wanting to be spotted before they could approach Dietrich with the white flag. Any battle now would endanger the girl, not an option that they wanted to consider. Next to him, Greta rode tight-lipped and silent.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Truce**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 3

Sam Troy studied the German base through the lenses of his binoculars. They had reached the base undetected and now needed to locate the Captain himself. Troy wasn't sure that he could trust any of Dietrich's junior officers so he wanted to be sure that the Captain was home. He glanced back at the jeep occasionally, worried that Greta might find a way to alert the base. He smiled to himself when he saw that Hitch had moved her away from the jeep and was now standing guard between her and the vehicle. Turning back toward the base, he continued to watch for a sighting of the Captain.

The sun was starting it's descent in the sky before Dietrich put in an appearance. Troy watched as the Captain stepped out of his office and walked across the base. Even from a distance the Captain looked tired, his step slow and his posture less stiff than normal. His usually crisp uniform appeared rumpled and dusty. Troy scanned the compound quickly, seeing nothing to alarm him. Lowering the glasses, he slid down the slope to the jeep.

Hitch looked up as Troy approached, ready to move fast if something was wrong.

"He's there."

Hitchcock nodded, his face suddenly serious.

"Let's roll."

Hitch nodded again, chewing furiously on his gum. His eyes went to Greta, who sat in the shade of a stunted tree. "I'm ready to let Dietrich deal with the lady. I'd rather face a tank than deal with her."

Troy looked toward Greta. "Yeah, I know what you mean." He motioned for Greta to get into the jeep. Pulling out a white cloth, he fashioned a flag for the meeting.

Hitch drove into the open desert facing the base. The white flag was prominently displayed for all to see. He paused well out of range of the German guns. Hands on the wheel in plain sight, he waited for orders from Troy.

Troy too kept his hands in plain sight. He stood in the back of the jeep and waited for a response from the base.

They were spotted almost immediately. The sounds of shouting carried in the clear desert air. German troops raced to take positions around the perimeter of the base. Men scurried toward their vehicles, waiting for the orders to pursue the jeep.

Troy watched, waiting for Captain Dietrich to appear and take charge. His junior officers were trying to prepare for an attack, ignoring the white flag. Troy tensed, ready to tell Hitch to pull back if anyone tried to fire on them. The beehive of activity slowed as men found their positions.

The two Americans had watched all of the activity, they could see all of the guns pointed at them, yet no one had fired on them so far. There was a hush that fell over the camp's defenders as the tall form of the Captain appeared at the gate.

He strode out of the gate with his hands clasp behind his back. Stopping just clear of the gate, he paused to study the situation. Noting the white flag, he turned to give orders to his men. With one more glance behind him, he started toward the jeep.

"Hitch, take us toward the base; if Dietrich is going to be saddled with the 'princess' here, the least we can do is save him a little walk."

"Right Sarge." Hitch nodded and took the jeep closer to the base gate. Troy remained standing in the rear for a better view of the base defenders.

Dietrich met them more than halfway, picking his spot and waiting for them to reach him. He didn't recognize the girl but he had heard about the capture of the Colonel and his daughter. Suspecting that he knew what was happening, he spoke first.

"What is this Sergeant? Are you trying to impress me with your ability to capture a mere girl?"

Troy grinned, showing his even white teeth. "Not at all Captain, actually we had no idea that the girl was there until it was too late."

"Then this is Colonel Von Reiter's daughter?"

"The one and only." Troy responded, adding 'I hope' under his breath.

"And what, may I ask, are your plans for her?" Dietrich was watching Greta, trying to determine if she understood what was going on.

"Well Captain, I thought you'd never ask." The sergeant answered with a cocky grin. "We were kind of thinking that we'd leave her here with you. Fighting women is not our style."

Dietrich cocked his eyebrow in surprise. "And just what is it that you wish in return?"

"Not a thing Captain, she's all yours. Just ask her to get out of my jeep so we can be on our way."

"What about her father?"

"What about him?"

"I don't suppose you wish to return him too?"

"Not likely Captain, maybe after the war."

"And if I refuse to accept her?"

"Do you know her Captain?"

"No."

"Sure sounded like it." Troy responded. "But you won't refuse Captain; you're too much of a gentleman. Besides, she's a Colonel's daughter; your superiors would have your head if you refused our offer."

"Quite right Sergeant." Dietrich agreed.

" I wouldn't really blame you if you wanted to take that chance." Troy added in a lighter tone.

Dietrich's eyebrows shot up again in question.

"She's quite the prima donna and a pain to boot." Troy replied to the unvoiced inquiry. "I wish you luck."

Dietrich paused, at a loss for words but as the explanation sunk in, his eyes started to sparkle with amusement.

Troy had no doubt that the German officer found the girl's attitude commendable.

Thinking better of making a comment, Dietrich spoke to Greta in German. His eyes widened at her angry response before narrowing at her explanation. "Fraulein Von Reiter says that your driver grabbed her." Dietrich eyed the private in question. To his surprise, Troy nodded that it was true.

"He did Captain, though if he had it to do over again he might let her sit on the scorpion this time. She bit his hand as a reward for saving her life."

Dietrich glanced at the driver's hands. The red teeth marks were clearly visible on the back of one hand.

"He couldn't have just warned her?"

"She doesn't speak English Captain and there wasn't time to let Moffitt translate for her. Besides, the lady seems to enjoy doing exactly the opposite of what she is told. Heck, she might have sat on it just so she could blame us."

"She doesn't like you I take it." Dietrich observed dryly.

Hitch tried to smother his chuckle.

Dietrich looked at him suspiciously.

Hitch, seeing the Captain's expression, tried to explain. "I think that scorpion liked us better than the lady does Captain. He would have killed us to protect himself, her, she'd enjoy it."

"Be that as it may Private, I would hope that you acted like gentlemen and respected her honor." Dietrich watched Hitchcock as he voiced his concern.

"No one touched her except to protect her Captain; you have my word on that. Her honor is intact."

Dietrich nodded, accepting the statement for what it was. The explanation fit with what he knew of Troy and his men. Turning to Greta, he politely ask her to get out of the jeep.

Greta watched as Captain Dietrich approached the jeep. She eagerly anticipated the attack from the base. When it didn't happen, she frowned at the tall officer who spoke so politely to her captors.

When he asked her how she had been treated, she launched into a tale of woe and grief. She told the Captain how the driver had grabbed her arm and treated her roughly. She waited as he questioned the Americans, surprised again when he seemed to accept their explanation over her own. Frustrated, she accused them of other infractions hoping to force the Captain to defend her honor. Again the officer seemed to accept their explanations. Angry now, she looked past him toward the base. She couldn't help but notice all of the guns pointed their way.

She was pulled from her musings by the voice of the Captain. He was politely asking her to step out of the jeep. She glanced back to count the rifles pointed their way as the Captain repeated his request. Seeing her chance, Greta refused to move unless someone helped her out of the vehicle. She insisted that if the Americans were truly gentlemen, they would help her out. Furthermore, she didn't want just anyone to help her; she wanted the private to do the honors. Greta figured that if she could get the driver out of the jeep they would be at a disadvantage when the base attacked.

Dietrich shrugged and translated for her. "She wants Private Hitchcock to help her from the jeep to prove that he is really a gentleman." The Captain smiled as Hitch turned his head to roll his eyes.

Hitch looked at Troy who nodded his permission. The private slid from his seat and walked around the jeep. Reaching the other side, he gallantly offered his arm to Greta.

Greta smiled coyly and reached for the offered arm. Stepping daintily from the vehicle, she held onto the arm with both hands. She could see the surprise in his blue eyes as she gripped him tighter and spun them both around in a circle.

Screaming as loud as she could, she called to the soldiers on the base to shoot the Americans.

The private caught his balance and stepped away from her. A shot rang out and the private fell as a bullet ripped his leg out from under him. He yelled in surprise as he fell and his eyes searched for his sergeant.

"Sarge, go!"

Dietrich yelled toward the base, giving orders to his men.

A second shot was fired and the blond private fell forward, the back of his shirt turning red with blood.

Dietrich jumped between Troy and the rifles on the base. His voice rose in anger at the shooter who had disregarded his orders.

Troy leaned around the Captain to locate his driver. Hitchcock lay motionless, the wound in his leg turning the desert sand a deep red. His back had an ever widening circle of red that spoke of a serious injury. Troy tried to push past Dietrich but the German grabbed his arm and yelled 'no'.

A glance toward the base revealed two patrol cars racing toward them loaded with soldiers brandishing rifles. Knowing that he had no other choice, Troy threw one last glance at the blond before yanking his arm out of Dietrich's grip. Diving for the jeep, he left the girl and Captain Dietrich behind in a shower of dust, his own eyes too full of tears to see clearly.

The patrol cars gave chase, the Germans determined to catch him. Without a second person to act as gunner he was forced to rely on his own driving and the speed and agility of the jeep to get him clear. Bullets whizzed past his head unnoticed as he steered the jeep blindly. He considered stopping and making a stand, an eye for an eye. He knew he would get some of them before they got him. His drivers' face, with his infectious smile, flashed before his eyes. Blinking back the tears, he kept driving, knowing that stopping wouldn't change the outcome in any positive way. He'd made a tragic error in judgement and Hitch had paid the price. It only seemed fair that he should have to live with his ghost.

The patrol cars continued the pursuit despite falling steadily behind. It wasn't until the sun had set and they lost him in the darkness that they admitted defeat and finally turned back. Even then, Troy considered setting up an ambush and evening the score.

In the end, his own good sense prevailed and he drove on. He knew that making the war personal would not end well for anyone. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he stopped long enough to plot a course toward his own base. Using a well-beaten road frequented by the Germans, he put another twenty miles behind him before he stopped for the night. Making a cold camp, he curled into the seat of his jeep to try to get some sleep.

It wasn't the cold night air or the cramped space that kept him awake. The face of his driver kept floating in front of his eyes. Even squeezing his eyes as tight as he could didn't block the image. Hitch looking up and smiling when he caught someone watching him. The constant supply of bubble gum and the bubbles he was so fond of blowing. The pop as he broke the bubbles. Troy had always thought that the sound was louder when Hitch was annoyed or angry about something.

He could picture those big blue eyes looking to him for directions. The way that they twinkled when Hitch was happy, which was most of the time. Those same eyes could darken with anger or determination, depending on the circumstances. Troy could almost hear the blond's laughter as he sought the oblivion of sleep. He doubted that he would ever hear it again except in his dreams.

He groaned aloud, cursing himself for not realizing that they were too close. He'd warned Hitch that the girl was dangerous and then he'd allowed her to manipulate them anyway. If only he had insisted in helping her out of the jeep himself, or better yet, had insisted that Dietrich do it. He'd let Hitch down, his driver had counted on him to correctly assess the danger and act accordingly. He had failed miserably.

He relived the events over and over in his mind, trying to find a way to change the outcome, but it was too late. He'd seen the wounds, the blood, and the boy's still face.

Tomorrow he would return to the base. Tomorrow he would find a way to tell Tully and Moffitt that he had made a mistake. Somehow he would find a way to tell them that Hitch had paid the ultimate price for trusting him.

When sleep finally came, his nightmares were no more restful than his visions while awake.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Truce**  
By:AliasCWN

Chapter 4

Tully watched Hitch and Troy drive out of the wadi with the girl. An odd sense of dread hit him like a hammer. Glancing toward the jeep, he saw Moffitt deep in conversation with the Colonel.

The Colonel was listening to the British sergeant even as he watched the jeep carrying his daughter drive out of sight. He hoped that he had impressed upon her the importance of behaving herself. He, better than anyone, knew how headstrong she could be when it suited her. While he was fairly certain that the Americans meant her no harm, he was aware of how she liked to push those around her.

"She'll be fine Colonel. Troy will make sure that nothing happens to her. And Captain Dietrich is an honorable man; he'll keep her safe until he can make arrangements to send her home." Moffitt watched the Colonel as the other jeep disappeared in the distance.

"You know your companions well?" Colonel turned to look at the British sergeant.

"Very." Moffitt confirmed.

"They will treat her well?"

"Yes Colonel, I assure you, they will be perfect gentlemen."

"Even if she does things to aggravate them?" The Colonel revealed his concerns.

"Even then."

"Good, because she will do everything in her power to make them sorry that they took her."

Moffitt laughed, "I wish them well." He paused to allow the Colonel to settle his emotions. "It's time to go Colonel."

The Colonel nodded, resigned to his fate. Unlike his daughter, he fully expected to be delivered to the American base despite his earlier statements to the contrary. He had finally realized just who had captured him, and he recalled their reputation from reading the piles of reports on their exploits.

"Tully!"

The lanky private left his position on guard and climbed behind the wheel of his jeep. Rolling a wooden matchstick from one corner of his mouth to the other, he pulled his goggles over his eyes and donned his steel helmet. Leaning forward, he pushed the starter on the jeep and listened to the engine purr to life.

"Ready Sarge."

"Anytime Tully. Keep your eyes open, we have a long way to go." The British sergeant responded.

"Gotcha Sarge." Putting the jeep in gear, the driver expertly maneuvered the little vehicle out of the wadi into open desert.

The Colonel sat stiffly in his seat wondering how anyone could relax in such a cramped space. He was used to traveling in a well-padded staff car with a windshield and a roof. He found himself coughing as the dust swirled around the tiny vehicle. He wondered how the enemy could create such havoc a cause such destruction with only the equipment that he saw available to them. It gave him a lot to think about as he rode toward the American base.

The Sergeant leaned forward and offered him his ascot to cover his face. Using his bound hands, the Colonel was able to hold it over his nose and mouth to make it easier to breathe. By holding the cover over his face, he could no longer use his hands to hold onto the dash. Now he was forced to balance in his seat using muscles seldom used in a staff car. The constant jarring was more tiring than he could have believed. Not used to having to work so hard to stay in a vehicle, he marveled at the ease shown by the youthful driver.

The Colonel found himself studying the young soldier seated next to him. There was a relaxed aire about him that couldn't be faked. He seemed to be almost one with his vehicle. Hands on the wheel, shoulders back, he swayed with the movement of the jeep without giving it a thought. Several times the young soldier caught the Colonel watching him. After the first time or two, he began to wink when he caught the Colonel's eye. Colonel Von Reiter was surprised the first time it happened, unused to enlisted men showing such ease around their officers. When it happened again, he found himself wondering how the Allies could function with soldiers who showed such little respect for their superiors. After a while he found himself missing the gesture when the private looked away without winking.

It wasn't lost on him the way that the young driver maneuvered the jeep across the endless sands. His own driver seldom left the hard packed roads because it was too easy to get bogged down in the soft sand. He marveled that they had traveled most of the day without roads and yet they had not had to dig the jeep out or push it out even once.

Despite his best intentions, he found himself grudgingly admiring the young driver's skill. It didn't take a great stretch of the imagination to realize why the team was so successful. He had observed for himself their fighting skills and their close personal relationships. Add to that their navigational skills and excellent driving, it was easier to believe all the reports he had read. As he tried to recall all of the details of the many reports, he suddenly realized why the name Captain Dietrich was so familiar. He had seen the name in or on many of those reports. At the time he had done some investigating into the Captain's records. He remembered the details of the Captain's background and service record. He sat back, feeling more confident that he had done the correct thing in sending his daughter into the officer's care.

When Moffitt called a halt to cool the engines and eat their rations, The Colonel was surprised when it was the sergeant who immediately took a weapon and took the first watch. The German took the opportunity to stretch his legs while the private serviced the jeep. He watched as the driver filled the gas tank and the radiator. The private dropped the hood and fastened the tie down securely. Then, taking a machine gun, he went to stand guard while the sergeant dug out the rations.

The sergeant handed the Colonel a packet of rations before climbing the slope to hand the private some of the food. He kept glancing toward the jeep as he talked to his young driver. The Colonel nibbled on his own meal and watched them talk.

As the sergeant turned to return to the jeep he slipped in the soft sand. The private reached for the sergeant, gripping his arm and digging his feet into the sand.

Sensing an opportunity, the Colonel dropped his meal and jumped into the jeep. Pressing the starter, he stomped on the gas, expecting to hear the engine roar to life. Instead all he heard was a steady click, click, click. Looking toward his captors, he again hit the starter with the same result.

"It won't start without this Colonel." The driver held up a small part from the motor. The lanky soldier made an apologetic face and shook his head. "I learned a long time ago that it doesn't pay to take chances. Actually it was one of your officers who gave me the idea to pull the rotor; easy to do and fast and easy to replace when needed. Keeps me from walking every once in a while; like now."

Letting his shoulders drop in defeat, the Colonel climbed out of the jeep.

The sergeant walked over and looked down at the meal that the Colonel had dropped in the sand. "The rations are not the most appetizing meals in the world Colonel, but they beat starving. And you might just want to keep in mind that they taste just a bit better if they aren't all covered in sand." Taking his Thompson, he took his ration to the jeep to sit in comfort as he ate.

Once the engine had cooled, the sergeant gave the order to continue their trip. With the rotor replaced, the engine started on the first try. The private smiled knowingly when he caught the Colonel looking at him.

"Don't feel bad Colonel." Moffitt spoke over his shoulder. "We learned the hard way too. Take us home Tully."

The jeep sped across the flat floor of the desert disturbed only by dust devils and tumbleweeds. Both Allied soldiers kept their eyes open for tracks or any sign that that they shared this part of the desert. Surprisingly, they met no one on their journey. The closer they got to their base the more they eyed the trail behind them.

Occasionally the Colonel caught some unspoken message pass between them. He sensed their growing unease yet he could see no pursuit or reason for their tenseness.

Despite their concern, they never slowed their journey. The miles passed quickly, taking them closer to their own lines. Now the Colonel noted that they seemed to fear airplanes more than ground troops, which made sense. His own men would have reported his capture. Not having found him, they would have launched planes to join the search. The location of the Allied base was known so their destination was easily predicted. He began to search the sky too, hoping for, but not expecting, a rescue.

The plane, when it did appear, was far off in the distance. The Colonel tried not to draw attention to it because he didn't want to alert his captors. Hoping to divert their attention, he asked the sergeant a question that required that he lean close to answer.

As the sergeant responded to the Colonel's question, the plane's pilot spotted them and turned their way. The sergeant glanced up but didn't appear to notice the approaching plane. Trying to ignore it, the Colonel braced to jump when the pilot started his strafing run.

The sound of the aircraft engine finally drown out the jeep motor. The driver glanced back and smiled as he saw the plane.

Confused, the Colonel turned to look for the plane. It buzzed overhead as he twisted in his seat. To his dismay, it bore the huge white star of an American plane. The pilot circled over them, giving them cover all the way to the American base.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Truce**

By:AliasCWN

Chapter 5

Jack Moffitt climbed the stairs to the second floor of the barracks assigned to the enlisted men. He made his way slowly along the hall to the last door on the left. Knocking, he waited for the door to be opened.

Tully Pettigrew stepped aside to allow the sergeant to enter the room.

"They aren't back yet, are they?" Tully guessed by looking at the expression on Moffitt's face.

"No Tully, I'm afraid not."

Tully nodded his acceptance of the answer. He remembered the feeling of dread he had experienced as the other jeep had departed. Thinking back, he wished that he had said something then. "I had a bad feeling when they left, nothing I could explain, just a real bad feeling."

Moffitt sat on the empty bunk that belonged to Hitch. "I just talked to the Captain, he hasn't had any word."

Tully nodded again, his eyes downcast. "Did they get the Colonel all settled in?"

"Yes," The Brit answered soberly, "but he will be transferred to division headquarters later today to be questioned."

"Was the Captain mad because Troy and Hitch gave the girl back?"

"No," Moffitt shook his head, "just concerned that they hadn't returned. He said that I should pass along his compliments on our success."

"Success?" Tully laughed scornfully. "What success? What about Sarge and Hitch?"

"The Captain said to give them a little more time."

"They should have been back yesterday afternoon." Tully argued.

"Perhaps it got late and they camped for the night."

"And didn't call?"

"It's possible that their radio isn't working…or maybe Troy didn't want to alert the Germans to their presence. The Germans will be going all out to find the Colonel. Maybe Troy was afraid to use the radio in case they were monitoring the signal."

Tully shook his head sadly, "That's a stretch and you know it."

"But possible Tully; all I know for sure is that I am not ready to give up on them." He paused and looked down at the bed that he sat on. "Dietrich has always honored a white flag; there is no reason to think that this time would be any different. And if they ran into trouble after dropping off the girl, they're good soldiers Tully; they can take care of themselves."

"Yeah, I know that they're tough, and they're smart, and they know what they are doing." Tully hesitated, a lost look on his face, "Only this time I have a really bad feeling, and I can't shake it. I didn't like that Colonel's daughter Sarge. I didn't trust her."

"And you think that Troy and Hitch did?"

"No, not really." Tully admitted. "But isn't it possible that they were so busy being gentlemen that they forgot to stay safe?"

"Not likely Tully," Moffitt assured him, "they are soldiers first."

"Hitch told me a story once." The private began, staring at the cot that Moffitt was sitting on. "He said that one of his cousins got in trouble, girl trouble, at school. He told his dad about it expecting his dad to bail him out. Hitch said that his uncle refused, he made his cousin accept his responsibilities. His uncle told Hitch that it all seemed like fun and games…until somebody got hurt."

"And you think that somebody got hurt?" Moffitt asked softly.

"Yeah." Tully nodded sadly.

Moffitt sighed, staring at his hands. He didn't want to say it out loud, but he had the same feeling.

"We need to keep busy Tully. The Captain said that he would let us know if he heard anything. Why don't we go see about getting the jeep ready to go out again?"

"I already did that. Gas, water, ammo, rations, explosives, what else do we need?"

"Did you have the mechanics go over it?"

"Nope. Don't you trust me anymore?"

"It's hard to trust you any more Tully." Moffitt smiled at his driver. "How can you trust someone completely and then trust them even more? It's simply not possible to trust someone more than that."

Tully gave Moffitt a small smile. "You know what I mean."

"Yes I do, but I needed to see that smile." Moffitt explained with a small smile of his own. "Shall we go get something to eat then? An army runs on its stomach as you know."

"My stomach isn't feeling so well about now."

"We have to eat Tully. If we get news, we need to be able to leave on a moment's notice." Moffitt argued.

"Okay Sarge, when you put it that way." Tully rose and allowed Moffitt to lead the way. They walked to the mess hall and filled their trays. Finding a seat, they ate in silence, neither of them in the mood for small talk.

"Sergeant Moffitt?"

Moffitt looked up at a corporal standing behind him.

"Yes?"

"Captain Boggs wants to see you and Private Pettigrew right away."

"We'll be right there Corporal." The corporal nodded and left, his job done.

As Moffitt and Tully were ushered into the Captain's office, they immediately noticed his grim expression. Without delay, he gave them the news. "Troy is back. He's over talking to Colonel Von Reiter right now."

"And Hitch?"

"Talk to Troy." His terse reply was the only explanation he gave. "Dismissed."

"Yes sir." Moffitt responded with a quick salute. Spinning, he almost ran into Tully in his rush to reach the door.

The two men hurried to the building where the Colonel was being held. Troy was just coming out of the door as they approached. On seeing them, he stopped in his tracks, looking like he wanted to go the other way.

Moffitt heard Tully catch his breath as he saw the other sergeant's face. Troy looked like he hadn't slept the night before; his bloodshot eyes had dark circles under them that even his desert tan couldn't cover.

"Are you all right Troy?"

"Fine Moffitt, I just stopped in to tell the Colonel that his daughter is safe with Captain Dietrich."

"Then your mission was a success?"

"The Colonel thinks so." Troy returned bitterly.

Moffitt hesitated before he asked the next question, not sure that he wanted to hear the answer. "Troy…where is Hitch?"

Troy stiffened at the question, his entire body going still. He didn't answer right away, his eyes unfocused. Then with a shake of his head he started to walk past them. Once he had passed them and his back was to them, he answered the question.

"He's dead Moffitt, they killed him."

Troy's tone was so flat that at first Moffitt wasn't sure that he had heard him correctly. When the reply finally registered, a cold feeling settled in his stomach. Moffitt glanced quickly at Tully, seeing the anguish in his eyes. Neither of them wanted to ask Troy too many questions in public so they followed silently behind as he headed for his quarters. Once there, Troy threw himself on his cot and covered his eyes with his arm.

Moffitt took a seat on his own cot, leaving room for Tully to sit next to him. They waited impatiently for Troy to explain what had happened. The room was filled with a heavy silence, broken only by the sound of their breathing. Moffitt could sense Tully's struggle with his emotions as they waited for Troy to elaborate.

"They killed him." Troy finally repeated quietly. "The girl insisted that Hitch help her out of the jeep." Troy shook his head sadly. "I should have known that she was up to something. She wouldn't let Dietrich or I help her, she wanted Hitch. Dietrich was so dang polite about asking him to humor her." Troy continued bitterly. "Hitch walked around the jeep and offered his arm to the girl. She took it politely enough. Then she grabbed him and pulled him around in a circle, throwing him out in the open. It happened so fast. She yelled something to the guards on the base. I guess that she told them to shoot. A shot took his leg out from under him and he fell. The girl stepped out of the way and he tried to get to his feet." Troy lowered his arm to look at his other two men. "I tried to get to him but Dietrich stepped between us. I heard Hitch yell at me to go….then there was another shot. I tried to get around Dietrich but he grabbed my arm. Hitch was down; they shot him in the back. Dietrich wouldn't let me go to him and there were two patrol cars coming toward us from the base. Hitch wasn't moving, there was so much blood. All I could do was pull away from Dietrich and get in the jeep and get out of there." Troy sat up on the cot, holding his head in his hands. We were carrying a white flag. Neither of us was holding a weapon. Dietrich asked about our returning the Colonel but I never thought that he would shoot as long as we were under a truce." Troy's voice trailed off and he sat holding his head.

There was complete silence for several seconds.

"Maybe he wasn't dead." Tully's voice was hoarse, full of anguish.

"It looked bad Tully. I don't see how he could have survived. It had to have hit some vital organs." Troy sounded tired and defeated.

"What did the Captain say?"

Troy looked up at Moffitt's quiet question. "He said we should take a few days off." Troy finally answered.

"Is that what you want?"

Troy looked up with an angry outburst. "What I want is to go back there and…" His voice trailed off as he realized what he was saying. "We can't let this war get personal. That's a sure fire way to get someone killed."

"I don't think that I want to take any time off either. Dietrich will take advantage of any time we take off to get his convoys through. It seems to me that we need to get out there and make sure that those convoys don't get through."

"Every one that gets through makes Dietrich look good," Tully added quietly, "I don't want that."

Troy nodded, grateful to the others for their support.

"Perhaps I should go explain to the Captain that we need to keep busy." Moffitt offered.

"I'll go with you." Troy offered.

"No." Moffitt refused, "You need rest. You look like you haven't slept in a week."

"We'll take care of it Sarge." Tully said as he headed for the door. "You get rested up so we can head out."

Moffitt made sure that Troy was comfortable before he left. "Is there anything that you need?"

"Yeah, but I doubt that I'll get it. I need to sleep without dreams." Troy explained when Moffitt looked confused. "I see his face every time I close my eyes Jack. I took him in there, he trusted me…and I got him killed."

"No Sam," Moffitt watched the other sergeant with understanding shining in his eyes, "Dietrich got him killed under a flag of truce. I guess now we know that he can't be trusted although until now I would have bet my life that he was honorable." Moffitt pulled a blanket up to Troy's chin before stepping away to leave. "Try to rest, we'll be back soon."

Moffitt stepped out of the room to find Tully leaning against the wall in the hall. At the sight of him Tully quickly wiped a sleeve across his face. Moffitt smiled sadly at the gesture.

"He could be alive Sarge."

"Tully."

"He could. Sarge didn't really get a chance to check. He could be alive. He's been hurt bad before and he made it."

"Why don't we talk to Captain Boggs? He shouldn't have any problem with us going after another convoy. While we are out there I'll have a little talk with the local Arabs and see if they know anything."

Tully nodded, keeping his face turned away to hide his tear streaked face.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Truce**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 6

Captain Boggs had been sympathetic but reluctant to allow the Rat Patrol to go after the convoy. It had taken some convincing before he gave his permission. Andy Peterson had been assigned as their replacement driver and notified that they would be pulling out early the next morning.

Moffitt spent the time with Troy, trying to keep him calm when the nightmares woke him up. It was a long night for both of them.

Tully spent a restless night too, his dreams haunted by memories. They'd lost friends and replacements before but Hitch had been his best friend. Rolling over after waking up from another disturbing dream, Tully had to keep repeating to himself that Hitch might still be alive. For once he was glad when the sun came up and he could roll out of bed and get moving.

Tully wasn't surprised to meet both sergeants in the hall before he reached their door. They both looked like he felt. Their apparent lack of sleep didn't surprise him in the least. He knew that they both faced the same demons that had kept him awake. Thinking that Hitch was dead wasn't going to cut it…..they had to know for sure, one way or the other.

Andy didn't try to make conversation as they headed for the jeeps. The two sergeants were grim and tight-lipped. Tully was in a somber mood that made his usual quiet demeanor seem talkative. While Andy was usually talkative himself, he wisely kept his talk to a minimum. It was promising to be a long patrol.

Troy lay on top of the hill with his binoculars. He scanned the length of the narrow road cutting through the dunes. He knew that this was the route that Dietrich's convoy would take upon leaving Dietrich's base. The sergeant's eyes burned with dryness and eyestrain; at least that is how he chose to explain their red appearance.

Troy didn't react as Moffitt dropped onto the sand next to him. He kept the glasses to his eyes as he watched the long narrow road.

"They should be here soon."

"Yeah."

"Troy, after we destroy this convoy I want to go into the village and ask around to see if any of the locals have heard anything."

"Why?"

"We need to know Sam. I want to ask if they have heard any rumors or know of any prisoners."

Troy didn't answer right away. The two of them lay side by side, each dealing in their own way. Finally Troy spoke, "I guess it can't hurt."

"Thank you."

"Do you really think that there is a chance he may be alive?"

Moffitt shrugged. "He's tough."

"He's human."

"The human body may seem fragile, but sometimes it can amaze you with its ability to survive."

"Do you really believe that?" Troy's voice was low, a monotone that barely carried across the short distance between them.

"I have to."

The other sergeant nodded his permission, "Okay, go ahead." They fell silent again until Troy's body suddenly stiffened. "Here it comes."

"I'll let the lads know." The British sergeant slid backwards until he could stand undetected. Sliding and running, he made his way to his jeep, alerting the two drivers.

Troy raised his hand, making a fist to tell them to be ready. Both privates started their engines. The moment that Troy's fist dropped both jeeps leaped forward.

Moffitt cleared his gun and braced his feet. Clinging to the handles on the 50, he blocked out thoughts of anything but the upcoming attack on the convoy.

Tully gripped the steering wheel hard and tried to remember that it wasn't Hitch driving the jeep behind him. Andy was an okay driver but they didn't click the way he had with Hitch. Andy needed someone to keep an eye on him in case he got into trouble. Troy would do his best but Tully always tried to keep track of him too, just in case.

Andy followed Tully's jeep, slowing only long enough for Troy to leap aboard. Troy lowered the gun barrel and Andy pulled the dust cover. It was a familiar routine yet it felt so odd this time. Taking the place of a wounded team member was a familiar task for Andy but the tension in the air this time had him on edge.

Troy concentrated on the familiar feel of the gun handles in his hands. He barely registered the bucking of the jeep beneath his feet. His goggles protected his eyes from the sand that Tully's jeep was throwing into the air. He just had to remember to keep his mouth shut so that he didn't end up eating the gritty mixture.

The jeeps jumped the crest of the dune and barreled down toward the unsuspecting convoy. The 50 caliber machine guns sent hot lead into the cargo of the huge trucks. Fuel barrels exploded when hit by the hot lead, taking the trucks with them. When the heavy bullets caught the 88 shells being delivered to the German outposts the detonations shook every vehicle in the area. The explosion was so strong that it rocked the jeeps as they raced away.

Finding a place to hide the jeeps, Troy and Moffitt took their binoculars and climbed a hill to check on the convoy.

The convoy was reforming and the drivers were checking their vehicles for damage. A crew braved the heated air around the wrecks checking for wounded. There was no need to try to salvage the cargo. Most of the trucks had been carrying combustible cargo and every one that had been hit had burst into flames.

Troy watched with satisfaction as the German column licked their wounds.

"Troy, we have company." Moffitt called the warning as he watched a lone patrol car leave the shelter of the surviving trucks and follow the tracks of the jeeps.

Troy twisted to focus his glasses on the car. Instead of the usual four man crew, this one carried only a driver. The sergeant focused his attention on the lonely figure of the driver. The driver, a corporal, somehow looked familiar. It wasn't until he was closer that Troy was able to recognize him. Troy realized that he was Dietrich's usual driver, a slender youth who looked too frail to be a soldier. Troy knew that Dietrich had given him the driver's job to spare him the more rigorous demands of a foot soldier.

As he watched the Corporal stopped his car and did something with his hands. Troy growled in anger when the Corporal lifted a white flag and waved it around. The car started forward again at a much slower pace. Through the glasses Troy could see the young Corporal looking around nervously.

"Now what?"

Troy jumped in surprise. In his anger he had forgotten about Moffitt's presence. "I don't know, but Dietrich's got a lot of nerve flying a white flag."

"Think Troy, he's taking a chance with a flag of truce after what happened. And we both know how protective he is of his driver. Whatever it is he wants, it must be important."

"I don't care."

Moffitt remained silent, knowing there was nothing he could say at the moment.

The patrol car continued toward them, slowly following the tracks left by the jeeps. The further he got from the convoy, the more nervous the Corporal appeared to be.

"Bring me a rifle." Troy ordered.

"Are we going to make this personal after all?" Moffitt tensed as Troy watched the patrol car.

"I'm not in the mood to play nice." The American sergeant responded.

"Troy."

"Bring me a rifle."

Turning, Moffitt hurried to get one of the rifles from the jeep. When he returned he handed the weapon to Troy. The patrol car was closer now, well within rifle range.

Troy took the rifle and handed Moffitt his field glasses. Nestling the stock against his shoulder, he found a comfortable position and aimed the weapon. As his target continued to close the distance, the two sergeants lay in wait without speaking.

Moffitt listened to Troy's slow, steady breathing and waited for the report of the rifle. He lifted his glasses to his eyes and checked on the movements of the rest of the convoy. He wanted to make sure that this wasn't a trick to allow the others to sneak up on them. The crack of the rifle made him jump in surprise. Refocusing the glasses, he turned to the patrol car expecting to find the corporal dead. To his surprise and relief, the youth was very much alive. Instead of shooting the driver, Troy had shot out his windshield. While understandably flustered, the young driver was unharmed.

As Moffitt watched, the young German did something else completely unexpected. Climbing cautiously from the patrol car, the youth started to walk toward them. Troy fired again and the bullet hit the dirt in front of the young German's feet. The Corporal stopped, gripping the white flag tightly.

Moffitt could see the whites of his eyes as he tried to locate the shooter.

Troy fired again, forcing him to take a step back. Throwing his arms in the air, the Corporal retreated another step. Reaching into his tunic pocket, he pulled out an envelope. Laying the envelope on the ground, he weighted it down with a rock. Looking toward the place where Troy waited, he shouted something before retreating to his car, leaving the white flag behind to mark the spot where he had left the envelope.

"I say, he seemed rather nervous." Moffitt said as a means of breaking the tension.

Troy glared at his fellow sergeant, in no mood for his dry humor.

"It must be important Troy or he wouldn't have taken chance like that."

"He took a chance because Dietrich ordered him to do it. It could be a reprimand for allowing the convoy to be destroyed."

Moffitt smiled at Troy's comment. "Perhaps, we did do a bang up job of it you know."

"So you think he wants to congratulate us?"

Moffitt actually chuckled this time although he tried to hide it from Troy. "I don't know really. I was thinking of going down there and finding out. I'm quite certain that the letter will explain everything."

"And just why should we trust Dietrich?"

"We don't have to trust him to read his letter. Consider it an intelligence gathering mission." Even as the words came out of his mouth Moffitt was wishing he could take them back. Capturing the Colonel had been an intelligence gathering mission, and that had ended badly.

"Okay, I get it, move on." Troy's softly spoken answer surprised him.

"That's not what I am saying Troy." Moffitt sighed. He paused to gather his own thoughts before he tried to explain it to Troy. "I guess what I'm saying is that I'm not ready to move on yet either. I want answers…. I need answers before I can put this to rest. None of this fits the picture I had in my head."

"It's war Doctor, not everything makes sense. H…, none of it makes sense."

"I suppose you're right, but I still need some kind of explanation. Perhaps that letter can give us some closure."

Movement in the distance drew their attention to the convoy. The Corporal had taken his patrol car, and while they were talking, had returned to the other trucks. Now as they watched the entire group of vehicles formed a line and drove off. Through their glasses the two sergeants could see the nervous drivers swiveling their heads to watch all around.

"They're expecting us or I'd hit them again." Troy proclaimed bitterly.

"We got most of the trucks already Troy. I'm pretty sure that we got all of the fuel and ammunition."

"Yeah, let's move."

Troy turned and ran for the jeeps. Moffitt hesitated, glancing back toward the envelope, tempted to retrieve it. Troy glanced back and saw him looking. "Moffitt!"

Sighing with regret, the British sergeant followed his American counterpart to the vehicles.

Tully looked up at Moffitt with a question in his eyes. The sergeant gave him a shrug and a small shake of his head. The private glanced toward Troy, sensing the tension between the two sergeants.

The first jeep jumped forward as Andy followed Troy's directions. They circled the knoll they had been hiding behind and, to Moffitt's surprise; they stopped next to the white flag.

Troy stepped out and stared at the innocuous envelope as if it were a snake. His features spoke of the turmoil within. Finally he bent down and picked up the message.

Moffitt kept his eyes on the desert around them but he couldn't keep his eyes off of Troy and the letter. He glanced away as Troy opened the envelope and pulled out the folded sheet of paper. When he looked back, Troy was reading, looking angry. The next time that he looked back, he got a shock; Troy's face had gone chalk white. His hands shook as he held the letter that Moffitt could only assume was from Captain Dietrich. Leaping from his own jeep, Moffitt was at Troy's side in two steps.

"What is it Troy?" Moffitt demanded. Without a word, Troy handed the letter to him to read.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Truce**

By:AliasCWN

Chapter 7

Mark Hitchcock was surprised when Greta demanded that he be the one to help her from the jeep. He didn't believe for an instant that it was because she liked him. If looks could kill he was sure that he'd already be dead. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen so much hate and anger from one person directed at him. She hid it well but he could feel it radiating off of her. Willing to do almost anything to get her out of their hair, he circled the jeep to the passenger side.

Nodding to Captain Dietrich, he stepped up next to the girl and offered her his arm. She smiled politely and took the offered arm to help keep her balance as she slid out of the seat and stood up.

Hitch felt her stumble as she took a step in the soft sand. She reached up and gripped his arm with both hands. As he turned to reach for her, to steady her, she spun away from him. He was thrown off balance as she threw her weight to the side and yanked on his arm. Slipping in the sand, he fell to his knees. The girl shouted something and stepped away from him. He felt a hard blow to his leg just above the knee before he heard the shot. Knowing that he had been hit, he yelled for Troy to go, to get clear. He tried to get to his feet, pushing up on his good leg. Dietrich was shouting now too, adding to the confusion. The girl continued to scream orders at someone.

Hitch didn't hear the second shot with all of the yelling but he could hear Troy's voice calling to him. The two Germans were still shouting and his head was starting to spin. A sharp pain flared in his back accompanied by a hard punch that took his breath away. He gasp for air as the blackness overwhelmed him.

He never heard Troy call his name again. He didn't hear the jeep roar away in a cloud of dust. There was no sensation as gentle hands probed the wound in his back. After the second shot, there was nothing; his body fell forward onto the sand and there was nothing.

The soft sound of a respirator working was the only sound that Hitch heard when he regained consciousness. He tried to turn his head but the breathing tube in his throat restricted his movement. Fighting back the initial surge of panic, he took the time to assess the situation. The tube in his throat was a concern, severely limiting his mobility. He couldn't understand why, but the entire upper half of his body seemed to be completely wrapped in bandages. His upper body he could understand, considering the pain radiating from there, but his arms and head seemed to be wrapped too. In fact, he was pretty sure that he could pass for a mummy if he so chose. Tensing his muscles one by one, he tried to determine just how much damage had been done.

His right leg protested when he tried to move it, confirming his memory of catching a bullet in the leg. Another sore point was the muscle of his back. Again, that made sense; he vaguely remembered being hit there too. What confused him were the bandages on his arms and his head. His head hurt, but more of a headache than an injury. There were bandages on his arms and hands yet his fingers moved with no pain. The muscles in his arms seemed fine too.

He suspected some internal injuries but that was to be expected with the wound to his back. It hurt to breath but the tube was pumping oxygen into his lungs. Shifting his body, he groaned as the wound in his back flared with a knife like pain. Biting down on the breathing tube, he tried to stifle the sound until he knew just where he was. The last thing he remembered before he passed out again was just where it had all happened. His last thought was that there was a good chance that the nurses didn't speak English.

When he opened his eyes next there was a doctor standing by his bed. Hitch watched as the doctor made some notations on the chart in his hands. Perhaps sensing that he was being watched, the doctor looked up with a start. Their eyes met and Hitch continued to stare.

The doctor glanced around furtively to make sure that they were alone in the room. "You're awake, that is good, we have a lot to talk about."

Hitch tried to shake his head, he wasn't going to talk. His eyes widened at the doctor's British accent.

"Please, just listen carefully." The doctor pleaded in a hushed tone. "You must appear to be a German. If anyone other than Captain Dietrich or myself is in the room, you must pretend to be too confused to understand. No one must know that you don't speak German. Do you understand?"

Hitch didn't have to pretend to be confused, he was confused.

"Just rest, I will summon Captain Dietrich, perhaps he can explain it to your satisfaction. Remember; do not try to communicate with anyone else." The doctor rushed to the door and called to someone outside. Hitch understood Dietrich's name but nothing else. The doctor returned to his side and began to question him about his pain levels.

"I am Dr. Friedrich. I will be your primary doctor, actually, your only doctor. We cannot allow any other doctor to examine you. It was I who operated to remove the bullet. You are a very fortunate young man. This is the second time you have survived a near fatal wound." The doctor looked up to meet his eyes and smiled with satisfaction. "I don't suppose that you would remember me. You were unconscious when your friends brought you to my field hospital the last time."

Hitch continued to stare, not knowing what the doctor was talking about.

Dr. Friedrich nodded at the expected response. "Your friends once brought you to my field hospital with shrapnel in your abdomen. It was lodged next to an artery and they were quite insistent that I remove it. They were quite determined. I must admit, I have often wondered if you survived the journey back to your base." The doctor finished checking his leg wound and gently pulled the blanket back into place. "This is another fine piece of surgery; I hope that nothing goes wrong to spoil it."

Since he couldn't talk past the tube, Hitch settled for nodding his agreement.

The door opened quietly, causing the doctor to look in that direction.

"Captain."

"Good afternoon Doctor. I see that our patient is awake. Have you explained the situation to him?"

"I tried Captain but I am not sure that he understands. Perhaps you could try again, I'm afraid that I will be missed if I linger in here too long. It wouldn't do to have anyone overhear us speaking to the patient in English." The doctor excused himself and left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Dietrich walked around the bed to where Hitch could see him better. Keeping his voice low, he kept his eye on the door as he spoke.

"How are you feeling?" Dietrich turned slightly red as he realized his mistake. "My apologies, I know that you cannot talk. I will try to explain the situation as thoroughly as possible so no questions will remain." The Captain paused, not sure where to start. "You must remain incognito Private. There is a certain Major on this base who would like to question you. You would not enjoy his attention, believe me. Major Wertz is Colonel Von Reiter's aide. The Major wants to locate and rescue the Colonel or punish those responsible for taking him." Dietrich leaned down to look into Hitch's eyes. "Do you understand?"

Hitch nodded carefully.

"Very well. Dr. Friedrich and I have come to an agreement. The doctor was the surgeon who removed the bullet from your back putting him in the unique position of being able to declare you dead."

Hitch raised his eyebrows in surprise but of course, Dietrich couldn't see the gesture, the bandages covered his entire face.

"The Major must not realize that you are alive." Dietrich continued. And Fraulein Von Reiter must never know that you survived. Doctor Friedrich and I have disguised you and given you a German identity. Under no circumstances must you reveal your true identity. The Major and Fraulein Von Reiter are planning on returning to Germany soon. Until that time, you must remain hidden." The doorknob turned and Dietrich put a finger to his lips. Continuing to speak, he switched to German.

A nurse stuck her head in the door and upon seeing Dietrich hurriedly apologized for disturbing him. Closing his eyes, Hitch feigned sleep until she left.

"Very good Private, I think that you understand." Dietrich paused. "Sergeant Troy escaped unharmed." He nodded as Hitch looked up at him. "I thought that you would want to know that fact." The captain headed for the door, glancing back before opening it. "If you need anything, you can trust Dr. Friedrich."

Hitch lay back and tried to process what the Captain had said. There were a lot of unanswered questions; like why would Dietrich and Dr. Friedrich risk their careers, and their very lives, to protect him. The news about Troy had certainly been welcome. The news about the Major wasn't. Exhausted, he decided to get some rest and await further developments.

As he drifted off to sleep one thing nagged at him; what was the purpose of the extra bandages? Camouflage was the only answer that made any sense.


	8. Chapter 8

**The Truce**

By:AliasCWN

Chapter 8

Sgt. Moffitt took the letter from Troy with trepidation. He recognized the hand writing immediately. He had seen enough of Dietrich's handwritten reports that he was familiar with the German's style.

"What is it Doc?" Tully asked before he had had a chance to read it.

Moffitt held up a hand to tell Tully to wait as he read. "It's from Dietrich," Moffitt explained, still reading. "He wants a meeting as soon as possible. Apparently he wants to call a truce. He says that we should signal him and he will come out to meet us."

"We aren't going to do it, are we?" Tully was surprised that the sergeants would even consider it.

"I think so." Moffitt answered softly.

"After what he did? We can't trust him! Why would we meet him?" Tully demanded indignantly.

"Because Tully," Moffitt explained, "he claims that Hitch is still alive."

"What?"

"He claims that Hitch is alive and he wants to discuss the situation."

Tully wanted to declare that it was a trap, to warn the sergeants not to fall for the lie. He wanted to suggest that they refuse Dietrich's request, only he couldn't. He couldn't say it any more than they could refuse the offer. Despite being skeptical, they all wanted to believe that Hitch had survived.

"We're going to go check out his base before dark." Troy spoke into the silence. "Then we'll find a place to spend the night. I want to know what we are up against. Once we have some idea what's going on, we'll contact Dietrich."

"Sounds reasonable." Moffitt agreed. "We have to consider the possibility that Dietrich is lying. I'm not saying that he is, but at this point, we have to consider it."

"We're not going in with any preconceived ideas." Troy warned. "We'll keep our eyes and ears open and be ready for trouble."

"Dietrich will expect us to be suspicious."

"Let him. We're always suspicious and he knows it." Troy headed for his jeep. "Let's get out of here, that convoy isn't that far off. I don't want them surprising us while we're standing around here discussing this."

The sergeants returned to their jeeps and the four of them retreated from the site. Their goal was the base that Dietrich currently called home.

"What do you see?"

"Just the usual. Dietrich just went into his office." Troy detailed what he had seen on the base. They were once again watching the base from the vantage point he had chosen earlier when he and Hitch had returned Greta Von Reiter.

Moffitt settled next to him with a second pair of binoculars. "There's the Colonel's daughter." Moffitt spotted Greta as she exited a building.

"Who is that with her?"

"I don't recognize him." Moffitt admitted slowly.

"He looks familiar."

"I believe you're right, but I can't place him." Moffitt studied the officer walking next to Greta Von Reiter with interest. "They seem well acquainted." The sergeant observed. "She seems to like him, or she's doing a good job of pretending."

"He's welcome to her." Troy snarled. "I'd sooner trust a rattler than that female."

"Troy," Moffitt asked suddenly. "What was the name of the Colonel's aide?"

"Major Wertz." Troy responded automatically.

"Could that be him?"

Troy turned to study the German officer. In his late thirties, muscular and fit, he was a powerful man. Greta appeared to be taken with the soldier as she clung to his arm. Trying to recall the photos he had seen of Major Wertz, Troy closed his eyes. Gradually the pictures of Major Wertz appeared on the inside of his eyelids. "Yeah, that's him."

"He must still be looking for the Colonel." Moffitt guessed.

"Or he's making a play for the Colonel's daughter."

"Either way, how does it affect us?"

"It makes things more complicated. As long as they are here we have to believe that he's still hunting us." Troy turned to study the building housing Dietrich's office. "Well, well, it must be old home week."

"What?"

"Check out the guy who just came out of Dietrich's office."

Moffitt turned his glasses on the man walking across the compound. "Isn't that the doctor who operated on Hitch in that field hospital?"

"One and the same." Troy agreed. "Either that or he has a twin."

"Curious."

"Yeah."

The two sergeants watched for another hour but there were no more surprises. Satisfied that they had seen enough, they returned to the jeeps. Withdrawing carefully, they left the base behind to find a safe camp for the night.

"Tomorrow we'll signal Dietrich." Troy announced as soon as they stopped. "I've got first watch; make sure that the camp is secure. Dietrich knows we're in the area; let's not make it too easy for him." Taking a weapon, he headed for the perimeter of the camp.

"Sarge, what did you see?" Tully cornered Moffitt as soon as Troy left the camp.

"The Colonel's daughter and his aide are still there." Moffitt explained.

"Any sign of Hitch?"

"No Tully, sorry."

With a nod Tully turned and headed for his jeep. He kept busy preparing a meal for all of them so that they could extinguish the fire before dark. It would be a cold camp to avoid detection.

Andy took over guard duty from Troy, allowing the sergeant to eat. He glanced down at the camp and watched as his three companions repacked all of their gear and policed the camp. One by one they settled into their beds. It didn't escape his notice that the camp was an especially quiet one. He felt bad that there was nothing that he could say to help.

The next morning, despite the objections of Moffitt and Tully, Troy took a jeep and went to signal Dietrich alone. Andy, Tully, and Moffitt waited anxiously until he returned safely several hours later.

"I sent the signal." Troy reported immediately. "Now all we have to do is wait for him to show. This time we won't meet within sight of the base."

"Do you really think that he'll come alone?" Andy asked when everyone else fell silent.

"If he doesn't come alone we're gone." Troy stated curtly. "No second chances, no excuses, this is his one chance to talk."

Tully glanced at Moffitt, wondering where they would stand if Dietrich didn't come alone.

"Where are we going to wait for him?" The Brit asked softly. "Do we have any idea where he'll look for us?"

"He probably talked to the Colonel's daughter. Maybe she mentioned the wadi where Hitch and I stopped to eat while we were killing time."

"If she can describe it well enough for him to find it." Moffitt worried.

"He'll find it. There was a skeleton of an airplane on the edge of the wadi. I picked it for just that reason. I figured she'd describe it to him and he would go running there to look for us."

"Misdirection?"

"Yeah, I never planned on heading back in that direction. I thought if she told him about it he might start his search there. We were trying to buy you as much time as we could to get the Colonel to the base."

"It sounds like a likely place to try. How far is the wadi from here?"

Troy lifted his head and looked around, a thoughtful look on his face. "I'd guess about four, five miles. I want to circle around and come in from the other direction. We'll check for tracks around the area before we go anywhere near it. It has a good vantage point so we can keep an eye on the desert. No one is going to sneak up on us there." Troy rubbed his hand across his face, feeling the grit of the desert on his skin. "Moffitt, you and Tully can stay with your jeep and run interference if I need it."

"Right," Moffitt replied, "But you be careful."

"Don't worry Doctor, I trust that Kraut about as far as I can throw this jeep."

The two jeeps set out for the wadi, eyes scanning the desert constantly for danger. As they drew closer they began circling to search for any tracks. They checked each wadi they passed, each time expecting to find hidden attackers.

"Tully Andy, drop the rakes; I don't want to leave any tracks for them to find."

With the rakes dragging the jeeps crawled along to avoid raising a dust. Troy and Moffitt used their binoculars to watch for the Germans. By the time that they reached the wadi their eyes burned from the strain and their shoulder muscles were knotted with tension.

Tully and Moffittt hid their jeep close to the frame of the airplane while Troy and Andy left theirs in plain sight. Having done all that they could to defend themselves, they settled in to wait.

It was late afternoon before the German staff car appeared in the distance. It approached the wadi slowly, the driver the only occupant visible.

Troy watched it draw closer with mixed emotions. He wanted to trust the Captain, but he couldn't. He wanted to hope, but he found that to be difficult too. Frustrated, he warned Andy to stay alert and he walked slowly out to meet the staff car.

Hans Dietrich stopped his car and got out. He noted the hard look on the sergeant's face and sighed. It hadn't escaped his notice that Troy was not holding or displaying a white flag. Believing that for him to do so would only add insult to injury, Dietrich advanced without the benefit of a flag.

Troy stopped well clear of him, keeping one hand close to the holstered handgun on his hip.

"Good afternoon Sergeant."

"It was." Troy scowled. "You wanted to talk."

"Sergeant, I realize that you believe that I betrayed you." Dietrich started.

"You did." Troy interrupted coldly.

"No." The Captain denied the accusation. "I had no part in what happened to Private Hitchcock. I had given my men orders not to shoot unless you fired first."

"We weren't armed so how do you explain what happened?"

"Fraulein Von Reiter. She shouted at the guards to shoot. One of my men, knowing who her father was, obeyed her command."

"You stopped me from saving him."

"I stepped in front of you so that they wouldn't shoot you too."

"You wouldn't let me take him."

"He was critically wounded sergeant." The Captain argued. "If you had taken him he would have died before you could reach a doctor."

"So what do you care Captain? He wasn't one of your men." Troy shouted angrily.

Dietrich's expression softened for a moment before he replied. "We were under a flag of truce Sergeant. I had an obligation to care. I gave my word as an officer and a gentleman when I accepted the white flag."

"And it got Hitch killed!"

"No Sergeant, it didn't."

Troy paused, his bitter reply on the tip of his tongue. He glared at the Captain without responding.

"Yes Sergeant," Dietrich nodded, "He's alive, badly wounded, but alive." The German smiled at the Sergeant's expression. "I called for an ambulance and he was taken into surgery right away. It was close, but he survived the operation."

"I don't believe you."

"I assure you Sergeant, he's alive. Why else would I have asked for this meeting?"

"Where is he?"

"In the hospital at my base. Don't worry, he is safe for now."

"For now? What does that mean? Just what do you want Captain?" Troy asked suspiciously.

"The Colonel's daughter and his aide, Major Wertz, are still on the base. The Major is still sending columns out to locate and capture your team. Fraulein Von Reiter still wants us to rescue her father."

"So let us have him and we'll take him back to our base where he'll be safe."

Realizing that Troy was starting to believe him, Dietrich chose his words carefully. "I can't do that Sergeant."

"Why, because he's dead and this is all a game to you?"

Dietrich sighed, knowing he had lost the tiny bit of trust he had managed to gain. "No Sergeant, I can't do that because Private Hitchcock cannot be moved at this time. His injuries were serious and he is on a respirator. If we try to move him now his injuries could end up killing him after all."

"Right." Troy agreed as if it all suddenly made sense. "And just what do you have in mind?"

"Really Sergeant." Dietrich confirmed. "His doctor does not want me to spoil a perfectly good piece of surgery by releasing him to soon."

The familiar phrase brought back the memory of the doctor that Troy had seen leaving Dietrich's office. Pausing, he studied the German officer warily.

Dietrich noted the hesitation and pushed on with his explanation. "His doctor was in charge of a field hospital until he inadvertently saved the life of an enemy soldier. He was reported but his accuser was deemed an unreliable witness due to battle fatigue. It was decided that he was given no choice by the enemy and so he was not charged with treason. Headquarters did however decide to assign him to a regular base where someone could keep an eye on him. He arrived at my command only hours before you arrived to deliver Fraulein Von Reiter."

Mention of the doctor did more to convince Troy that Dietrich was being truthful than anything else he could have said.

"Okay Captain, so you're going to keep him. Why call this meeting?" Troy let his frustration color his tone.

"He is alive Sergeant, and I do plan on letting you take him." Dietrich assured him. "I called the meeting to assure you that he had survived and to let you know that I plan to return him. As far as I am concerned he is still protected under the truce until he is safely returned to you."

Troy was torn between relief and disbelief. "Okay Captain, what's the plan?"


	9. Chapter 9

**The Truce**

By:AliasCWN

Chapter 9

Mark Hitchcock awoke to the sound of voices in his room. Keeping his eyes closed, he listened to the two men talking. Dr. Friedrich was speaking to someone else but Hitch didn't recognize the second voice.

"I'm sorry to bother you Doctor but I have a few questions for you."

Dr. Friedrich glanced at his patient before he responded to the man who had followed him into the room. "Of course Major, how can I help you?"

"We are speaking in English Doctor because I wish to ask about your American patient. It is better perhaps that no one overhear this conversation."

"My American patient?" The doctor asked cautiously. "I'm afraid I don't understand. I don't have an American patient."

"No, not now, I understand that." The second man answered. "Captain Dietrich informed me that he died in surgery."

"Yes." The doctor answered, trying to hide his relief.

"Did he say anything Doctor, anything at all?"

"No," the doctor replied with a shake of his head. "He was unconscious when he was brought in. I attempted to operate immediately."

"That's a pity." The Major remarked, eying the patient asleep in the bed.

"The loss of life is always a waste." The doctor replied.

"Oh, I don't mean that it is a pity that he died. It's a pity that he wasn't able to be questioned first. He could have told us where to find Colonel Von Reiter. Naturally I would have had him executed once we found the Colonel. After all, he was one of those responsible for taking the Colonel in the first place."

"I see. It is a shame that you haven't found the Colonel yet." The doctor agreed. "Couldn't Fraulein Von Reiter be of any help? It was my understanding that she was going to show you where the Allied commandos were holding her father."

"She took us there but they had already departed. The fraulein was most upset." The Major looked past the doctor to the patient in the bed. "What happened to this poor fellow?"

"He was burned in an explosion."

"One of those that you brought with you when you first arrived here?"

"Yes. He was the most seriously burned. I am monitoring his condition very closely."

The Major approached the bed and looked down at Hitch. "What are his chances?"

"Not good Major, his condition is still critical." The doctor moved to the side of the bed and picked up the patient chart. "The Captain is considering moving him to a better equipped hospital soon. Could we move this conversation out of this room? I don't want to wake the patient; sleep is the best thing for him."

"That won't be necessary Doctor; I only have one more question."

"Yes?"

"What happened to the American's body?"

Dr. Friedrich couldn't suppress his start of surprise.

The Major raised his eyebrows at the reaction.

"I'm sorry Major, I don't know. After the American died I was needed to care for another patient. His body was removed by some of the Captain's men. One of the patients I brought with me required additional emergency surgery."

"Successful I hope." The Major said.

"Yes, thank you, he'll recover eventually."

"About the American." The Major repeated.

"I believe that the Captain had the body buried but you will have to ask him. As I said, I was in surgery." Meeting the Major's eyes, the doctor answered the question the way that Dietrich had instructed. "Now I must insist that we leave this room, my patient needs his rest. I have other patients to see."

The Major turned to leave the room, pausing to look back at the doctor. "I intend to ask the Captain."

Dr. Friedrich walked past him and spoke over his shoulder. "You do that Major, I'm sure that he can be of more help." The two men parted as soon as they left the room. The doctor continued his rounds, checking on his other patients. The Major watched him for several minutes, a suspicious look on his face.

When Dietrich dropped into the hospital later Dr. Friedrich told him about the conversation. "He may suspect our deception Captain."

"We shall have to be very careful Doctor. I told his sergeant that I would keep him safe. Major Wertz and Fraulein Von Reiter are planning on leaving in a few days. They are returning to Germany."

"Hopefully we can continue this deception until they leave; I would hate to have the Major undo all of my good work."

"Yes," Dietrich answered dryly, "that would certainly not do at all."

"He's going to ask about the American's body. He wants to know what happened to it."

"We buried him doctor, he can ask any of the men on the burial detail." Dietrich replied with a smile.

"He may want to dig up the body."

"Let him. It's an unmarked grave out in the open desert. The wind has blown away all trace by now. It will take him a very long time to find anything out there."

"But you didn't have a body." Dr. Friedrich reminded him.

"That will only make it harder to find."

"I hope you know what you are doing Captain. I have been reported once and it was for this very same soldier."

"I'll take full responsibility Doctor. You have my word as a gentleman."

"I suggest that you be prepared to convince the Major." The doctor arched an eyebrow toward the approaching officer. "I believe that I have patients to see."

Dietrich nodded and turned to greet Major Wertz and Greta Von Reiter as they crossed the room toward him.

"Captain, have you had any luck locating Colonel Von Reiter or those hooligans who kidnapped him?" The Major stopped in front of Dietrich and watched the doctor walk away.

"I'm afraid not Major. We searched the area that Fraulein Von Reiter indicated but we found nothing. I asked headquarters to scour the desert but so far there have been no sightings."

"Nothing at all?"

"Nothing Major. The desert is large and full of places to hide. Since there are few roads, the American jeeps travel cross country, making them harder to locate."

"But you are still looking?"

"Of course Major, we have another column going out the first thing in the morning."

"One of your lieutenants mentioned that one of your convoys was attacked just yesterday. He seemed to think that it might have been the same Americans who kidnapped the Colonel."

"True Major. I can tell you with certainty that it was the same unit. The problem is, they hit our convoys and then vanish before we can go after them."

"I would like to lead the column tomorrow."

"Of course Major, if you wish."

"I was also wondering, what was done with the American's body?"

"It was buried in the desert Major. We don't bury the Allied dead with our own." Dietrich lied smoothly.

"Where? I would like to see the grave for myself."

"I gave orders to take him away from the base and bury him. You would need to speak with the burial detail for the location. Unfortunately Major the wind will have covered the mound by now. Finding it now will be very difficult. Is there something that I can help you with?"

"Just point out the burial detain to me, I would like to question them."

"Of course Major, follow me." Dietrich led the way to the enlisted men's quarters. Pulling several men aside, he introduced them as the burial detail. "If that is all Major, I have reports to finish." Dietrich left the Major to question his men as he took his leave.

Dietrich wasn't worried that the Major would get any information from his men. He had chosen only the most loyal of his men for the task. They had kept their story simple to avoid forgetting any details. They would claim that after picking up the body they had taken it to the desert and buried it in an unmarked grave. The location would be known, at least the general location. Finding the exact spot in the desert would be impossible.

Dietrich avoided the hospital for the rest of the day.

The next morning Major Wertz arrived to take command of the column that was to search for the Rat Patrol. Still suspicious, he greeted Dietrich coolly. "Do you have any suggestions as to where we should look?"

"We have a convoy going out later today. Perhaps you could shadow them. The enemy may try to attack the convoy before it reaches its destination." The Captain suggested.

"Very well. I think I should start where they were last seen. If we find nothing there we will follow the convoy." The Major informed Dietrich coldly.

"I wish you luck Major."

"Luck has nothing to do with it." the Major growled. "It is hard work and persistence. Maybe you rely on luck too much. Perhaps that is why you have yet to capture them."

The Captain inclined his head in acknowledgement. "I shall be eagerly awaiting you return Major. Have you any idea how long you will be gone?"

"As long as it takes Captain." the Major replied. "I have instructed the lieutenant to make sure that we have enough supplies to allow us to stay out for a while."

Dietrich clasped his hands behind his back and watched as the column departed. He was conflicted in his feelings about the success of the venture. If the Major were to be successful he would be rid of the Rat Patrol and their destructive activities. On the other hand, that would leave him with the problem of what to do with the young American soldier he was currently hiding. He'd prefer to just hand him over to Sergeant Troy and be done with it. Both he and Dr. Friedrich would be in danger, not just their careers, but their lives, if the Major were to find out what they had done. Only his sense of honor held him firm in his plan.


	10. Chapter 10

**The Truce**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 10

"There's the signal." Sam Troy called to his team as he slid back from his observation point. 

For the last three days the Rat Patrol had been making a run close to Dietrich's base to watch for the signal from Dietrich. Once a day they had waited for the sign that Hitch was ready to return to them. Until this moment Troy had had his doubts that it would actually happen. Even now, as they prepared to meet the ambulance carrying their missing teammate, Troy was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Until his injured driver was safely in their care, Troy wasn't about to let his guard down.

"Tully, go up and watch for the ambulance. Let me know if anyone else leaves the base."

"Right Sarge." Tully ran for the high point, eager for the sight of the ambulance. He rolled his matchstick in his mouth and trained the binoculars on the base. He could hear the two sergeants talking as he waited for his first sight of the German vehicle. There was a movement near the gate, a truck getting ready to leave the base. Tully watched it pull out of the base and head in the opposite direction. He watched it until it disappeared in the distance. He caught more movement near the hospital. After a bit he saw an ambulance drive up and stop in front of the building.

"Sarge!"

Troy ran up behind him, reaching for the binoculars. He focused on the movement, watching as a stretcher was carried out and put in the back of the ambulance. From the distance there was no way of identifying the wounded man.

"Keep your eyes on it." Troy commanded.

Tully nodded, his eyes glued to the activity on the base.

"That column is still out there." Moffitt reminded them as he crawled up next to them.

"Yeah," Troy responded, his mind clearly somewhere else. "We haven't run into them yet but we'll definitely have to be on the lookout for them."

"It could be part of Dietrich's plan."

"I don't know Moffitt. Why would he send the column out under the command of Major Wertz? The Major was the Colonel's aide; I doubt that he would take any orders from Dietrich."

"I agree but we can't overlook the fact that he's still out there."

"We won't." Troy promised. "You and Tully watch for the column. Search the area and make sure we don't run into any surprises. Andy and I will meet the ambulance and get Hitch."

"Right." Moffitt glanced up to check on Tully. His driver was still watching the German base intently. "How long do you think it will be until Dietrich sends the ambulance out?"

"Soon I think. Maybe sending the Major out was part of the plan to get him off the base."

Moffitt looked confused as Troy made the statement.

"Hitch was probably safer with the Major off of the base." Troy went on to explain. "That would mean less chance of the Major stumbling onto what he was doing. Safer for Dietrich and Dr. Friedrich too."

"There is that." The Brit agreed. "I imagine hiding Hitch has been a bit hard on their nerves." Moffitt shook his head as he thought about all it had entailed. His face suddenly became thoughtful.

"What?"

"What happens to Dietrich when the news gets out that Hitch is still alive? He's reported him dead and buried."

"I guess Dietrich will have to deal with that, it's not our problem. All I care about is getting Hitch back safe and sound."

"That's what we all want."

"I know."

"Hey Sarge, there's an ambulance leaving the base." Tully called from his post.

Troy and Moffitt looked up at the call.

"Anybody else following?" Troy called back.

"No, just the ambulance. A truck left about an hour ago headed in the other direction."

Turning, Troy gathered his weapons and nodded at Andy. Looking at Moffitt he paused to prepare for the next step. "Have Tully watch the base for another twenty minutes. Make sure no one tries to follow later." Moffitt nodded his understanding. "If no one else follows you and Tully can start running circles to watch for that column. Andy and I will follow the ambulance and once we're sure that it's safe, we'll make contact. Be careful Moffitt."

Moffitt nodded. "Leave your radio on. We'll call if we spot anything."

Andy was already in the driver seat with the engine running. Troy climbed behind the 50, ready for anything. They followed the ambulance at a distance, searching the desert around and in front of them. Troy let it get several miles from the base before letting them know that they were being followed.

Andy swung wide and pulled next to the other vehicle. The German driver stepped on the gas when he spotted them. Andy had to cut him off to get him to stop. Troy aimed the 50 at the windshield before the German driver hit his brakes. Troy was out of the jeep before the dust had settled. Grabbing a machine gun, he covered the driver. "Andy, cover this guy."

"Got it Sarge."

Troy hurried to the rear of the ambulance. Standing to the side, he opened the double doors.

"Good afternoon Sergeant." Dr. Friedrich offered in a quiet voice. "Is the driver far enough away that he can't hear us? He is not in on this."

"Andy." Troy called. "Knock him out."

Andy swung his rifle and hit the driver in the jaw, the German dropped without a sound.

"He's not going to hear anything." Troy told the doctor.

The doctor sighed. "I would have preferred that you just take him far enough away that he could not hear."

"He could have seen something." Troy explained. "It's your neck Doctor; do you want us to wake him?"

"No Sergeant, that's all right. We don't have much time."

"Andy, get back here."

Dr. Friedrich leaned across the gap between the cots in the ambulance. He quickly checked Hitch's vital signs, making sure that he was handling the journey all right. Troy studied his driver carefully, looking for the steady rise and fall of his chest. He felt the tight pressure in his chest release as he noted the signs that his driver was sleeping. Turning to the doctor, he eyed him curiously.

"Why are you doing this?"

Dr. Friedrich looked surprised that Troy would ask. "Captain Dietrich brought your young friend to me with a serious wound. He made it quite clear that his injury had occurred as a result of some miscommunication during a truce. He was quite distressed because he felt responsible since he had accepted the truce. As an officer and a gentleman he felt that the injury was a violation of his honor. He asked for my help as a doctor and as a gentleman. Having saved his life once, I thought it only made sense that I should protect my earlier work. I do hate to see perfectly good surgery go to waste." The doctor twisted in his seat and picked up a sheaf of papers. "Your friend is still in serious condition but it is too dangerous to keep him on the base any longer. If you are careful, it should be safe enough to transport him now."

"Should be Doc?"

"He's off the respirator and his wounds are healing nicely. He's still very weak but he's awake quite often now. If one of the other doctors or a nurse realizes that he doesn't speak German the news might reach the Major. Believe me Sergeant, you wouldn't want that to happen."

Troy sighed. "No, I guess not. So what do we have to do to get him home alive?"

"Drive as slow as you can and avoid as many bumps as possible. I have included some extra medicine in case you are delayed in reaching your base. There is extra morphine to keep him comfortable. Don't allow it to wear off." The doctor warned.

"Why are his face and arms wrapped?" Troy asked curiously. "I thought that he got shot in the back."

Dr. Friedrich nodded as he looked at his patient. "I brought some burn victims with me when I transferred to the Captain's base. We hid your private among those men where we could hide his face." The doctor leaned down and lifted the sheets hanging over the edge of the cots. "One of them died this morning. We will take his body on to our destination and report his death. That will cover the loss of my patient in case the Major asks questions. The Major was getting suspicious. If he checks, we have a body to show him."

"How does the Captain expect to explain the reappearance of my driver once he recovers?"

"He said that he will deal with that at a later time. So far, the only ones who know of his death are the Major and the fraulein. The Captain said that he could handle the men on his base. As long as the Major doesn't hear of it, we should be fine. The fraulein will not be in a position to hear of it."

"All right, we'd better get this done." Troy lowered his rifle and motioned for Andy to help him move Hitch to the jeep. Once they had him settled they returned and helped the doctor to move the dead German onto the stretcher. The doctor added IV lines and tucked the sheets around the body. Satisfied that everything looked normal, except that the patient wasn't breathing, they stepped back. "Good luck Doctor….and thanks.,,again."

"I am a doctor Sergeant. I have taken an oath to save lives. When I took that oath, I did not specify that they would all be German lives." The doctor explained. "Now if you will excuse me, I have a live patient to attend to." The doctor climbed out of the ambulance and headed for the driver.

"So long Doctor." Troy called as he walked to his jeep.

"I will tell the driver that you were looking for someone else to kidnap." The doctor called over his shoulder. "Unfortunately for you, he wasn't in the ambulance."

The driver was starting to stir as Andy drove the jeep carefully past the kneeling doctor. They quickly ducked into a cut in the dunes so that the driver wouldn't realize that they had picked up an extra man

"Take it slow and easy Andy, the doctor said to avoid the bumps."

"Got it Sarge." Andy called over his shoulder. Keeping his speed down, he drove for several miles before looking over his shoulder to call to Troy. "How's he doing?"

"I don't now, I'm not a doctor. He looks like he's doing all right. The last time that doctor worked on him he did one heck of a job. It looks like he might have done a pretty good job this time too."

"Moffitt and Tully haven't checked in yet. You don't suppose they ran into trouble do you?"

Troy glanced down at the radio. They had left it on in case Moffitt needed to get hold of them but it had remained silent. Now with Hitch safe in their care, Troy turned his thoughts to the other half of his team.

"Find us a hole to hide in, I'll call Moffitt and tell them to join us."

Andy found a wadi that was large enough to hide a jeep but small enough to defend. Taking a rifle, he immediately went to keep watch.

Troy checked on Hitch, making sure that he was sleeping peacefully. Adding another blanket to protect him from the bumps, Troy gazed down in relief. Maybe now he could sleep without his driver's face haunting his dreams. They still had to discuss what had happened but that could wait until Hitch was feeling better.

Reaching for the radio, Troy prepared to call Moffitt.

"Troy, the column is here! Get out! We'll hold them as long as we can! We'll catch up!"

Troy's hand stopped in mid-air above the radio. His heart jumped into his throat at the call. At first he thought that Dietrich had double-crossed them but then he remembered the doctor's words. "Moffitt!" Troy yelled into the radio hoping that Moffitt still had his on. "It's that Major Wertz, the Colonel's aide. He won't stop until he catches us!"

The only answer was the rapid rattle of the 50 from the other jeep. Troy yelled for Andy and ordered him back to the jeep. They listened to the battle over the radio as they hurried across the desert trying to get Hitch safely away.


	11. Chapter 11

**The Truce**

By:AliasCWN

Chapter 11

Tully spotted the column approaching before Moffitt saw it. He called a warning even as he started the jeep moving.

"They're heading toward where Troy was going to meet the ambulance."

Tully nodded at Moffitt's warning shout.

"We're going to have to lead them away. Troy needs time to get Hitch and get away."

Tully nodded again, squinting through his goggles at the line of German vehicles. Rolling his matchstick to the other side of his mouth, he glanced back to see if Moffitt was ready. The Brit met his eyes and nodded, lowering the muzzle of the 50 so Tully could remove the dust cover. Tully pulled the small cylindrical cover loose and dropped it between the seats.

"This is for Hitch and Troy." Moffitt yelled as a rallying cry.

Tully swung the jeep behind the hills and drove toward the column. Keeping out of sight, he prepared to pop up in a surprise attack. As the first halftrack came into sight, they launched their plan.

Tully drove across in front of the first halftrack with Moffitt handling the 50. The driver screamed and grabbed his face, letting the wheel pull to the side. The gunners tried to target the fast moving jeep as the vehicle swerved to the left. The gunners were a bit late; their bullets hit the sand behind the jeep as it continued out of the line of sight.

Tully swung around and hit the column from behind, catching them by surprise again. As they swung their guns to the rear the jeep ducked behind another dune.

"Let's lead them away before we hit them again." Moffitt shouted over the sound of the engine. "I think we need to catch them out in the open."

Tully nodded and bit down on his matchstick. Gripping the steering wheel tightly, he cleared the dunes and allowed the Germans to see them. Turning toward the open desert, he attempted to lead them in a new direction.

The lead halftrack, with a new driver, took the bait. They lumbered after the jeep, trying to hit them with their heavy guns.

Moffitt noticed the rank of the officer standing in the front of the vehicle. "That's Major Wertz." He called to Tully, pointing out the officer. "Troy says he won't give up, we're going to have to stop him."

Tully glanced back at the announcement. "What do you have in mind Doc?"

"When we swing back I want to go after the first halftrack. Don't take too many extra chances but I want that halftrack."

"Okay Sarge." Tully agreed without hesitation. Stopping pursuit was their main goal and he had no problem doing just that.

A patrol car surged ahead and closed the distance. The bullets whizzed past Moffitt's head, warning him that the patrol car's occupants were getting too close.

Swinging the 50 away from the halftrack, the sergeant took aim at the patrol car. As the bullets zipped past them, the patrol car's driver swerved to the side, exposing the entire length of the car. Moffitt lowered his aim and went for the gas tank. The tank exploded in a ball of fire that consumed the entire vehicle. The surviving soldiers jumped from the vehicle and rolled in the sand to extinguish the flames consuming their clothing.

Moffitt turned his attention back to the lead halftrack, looking for a weakness.

Tully dodged as a second armored vehicle tried to cut them off. He artfully slipped between the clumsy vehicles, giving Moffitt a good shot at one of them. The crew jumped to the ground as the gas tank burst into flames and black smoke poured upward, choking them. Gasping for breath, they rose to their knees and took aim at the jeep.

The smoke rolled between them, giving Tully and Moffitt a bit of cover.

The British sergeant swung his gun around, trying to target the second halftrack. Bullets hit the side of the jeep, narrowly missing his legs. Moffitt looked at the halftrack and was surprised to realize that the bullets blowing past him were from the machine gun held by Major Wertz. The officer was braced against the windshield and was doing a good job of aiming. The sergeant ducked as another volley of bullets zipped past his head.

Tully took the jeep past the third armored vehicle, leaving the Major and his halftrack behind. He could hear the Major shouting at his driver even over the sound of the engines.

The 50 caliber bullets knocked the German soldiers backwards, silencing their guns. The driver ducked and twisted the wheel, nearly crashing into the smaller jeep. Tully dodged the heavy vehicle and swung around behind it as the first halftrack got turned around.

Moffitt ducked again as the Major's bullets clipped the air close to his head. The Major's driver pushed the disable halftrack toward the jeep as they used it for cover. The jeep swerved violently as Tully tried to avoid being hit by the heavier vehicle. Moffitt, still off balance from ducking, fell off of the jeep, disappearing over the side. The jeep came to an abrupt stop as more bullets hit the hood. Tully tumbled out of the jeep and fell to the ground.

Moffitt climbed to his feet, rushing to the jeep to grab a machine gun from the front fender. As he reached for it, the halftrack pulled up behind his jeep and stopped.

"Halt Sergeant!"

Moffitt paused in mid-stride and looked back to see the Major standing in the front of the halftrack pointing a weapon at him. Raising his hands, the sergeant slowly turned to face the Germans.

"You fight well Sergeant, but not well enough."

"That's your opinion." Moffitt replied with a smile. "We got the Colonel, didn't we?"

The Major snarled his rage, tightening his finger on the trigger.

"It already cost you one man, maybe two." The Major indicated Tully's empty seat. "And now you will die."

Moffitt faced the German with a smile on his face. His confidence shook the Major. "What is so amusing Sergeant?"

"Who was it that said that dead men can't talk?"

The Major opened his mouth to ask another question as Tully rose up from behind the jeep. His machine gun rattled as he shot the Major in the chest before turning his gun on the driver. Both Germans collapsed in a heap, their faces frozen in surprise.

"You okay Doc?'

"Fine now Tully, thank you."

"Then I guess we should go find Sarge. After all of that noise he's going to be worried." Tully suggested with a shrug and a grin.

"I'll call him and let him know we are on our way." Moffitt smiled in return.

Troy was waiting impatiently for them when they arrived. Even though Moffitt had told him that they were both fine, Troy still looked them over for injuries.

"How's Hitch?" Tully asked as soon as he shut off the engine.

Troy smiled at the show of concern. "He's unconscious but I think that the doctor gave him morphine to keep him comfortable. Moffitt can take a look at him before we move out."

"Any trouble Troy?" The Brit asked as he went to check on the private.

"No, the doctor was very cooperative. He gave us his records and some extra medicine in case we were delayed in getting back to the base. He said to take it slow and try to avoid bumps."

Moffitt smiled as he looked up at Troy. "That's probably good advice for anyone who is wounded. Hitch looks peaceful; the morphine hasn't worn off yet. Is there a reason he's all covered in bandages?"

"It's a long story but I guess you could take most of them off now. Dr. Friedrich said that they had to disguise him as a burn victim so no one would recognize him."

"I wondered about that." Moffitt admitted as he finished his examination. "The pain will come back; I suggest we travel as far as we can before that happens."

They headed for their base, following the doctor's directions to the best of their ability. Hitch slept most of the way peacefully, only getting restless as they neared the base. Not sure what the doctors would want him to do about the pain meds, Moffitt crawled into the back of the jeep with him, trying to keep him quiet without the medicine. His constant stream of nonsense seemed to calm the wounded man, allowing them to reach the base.

Hitch was taken into the hospital as soon as they arrived. The American doctors gave him a complete exam, comparing the records the German doctor had sent to their own observations. The head doctor found the other 'rats' waiting outside after they had settled Hitch into the critical care ward.

"Sergeant Troy?"

"That's me." Troy responded, hurrying to meet him. "How is he?"

"Pfc. Hitchcock is sleeping peacefully. Whoever that German surgeon was, he was good. The private will need at least another week in the hospital but he should make a complete recovery. That's a very lucky young man; the Germans aren't usually so considerate of their prisoners."

"They had their reasons doctor. Thank you. Can we see him?" Troy responded.

"Only for a minute, he needs his rest. He's not likely to be awake before morning anyway." The doctor gave his permission with the warning tacked on.

"We won't wake him Doc. Thanks."

Troy, Moffitt, Tully, and Andy stood next to the bed and looked down at the sleeping blond.

"He looks peaceful." Tully smiled at the sight.

"Yeah." Troy grunted in reply.

"He had me worried this time." Moffitt admitted. "I still haven't figured out why Dietrich and that doctor took the chance that they did."

"Dietrich said it was a matter of honor. I guess I can understand that. He had a pretty strict upbringing and his honor is important to him."

"What about the doctor?" Moffitt asked softly so as not to wake the blond.

"He said he's a doctor first, a German second….and he really hates to see a good piece of surgery wasted." Troy answered with a smile. "We'd better go so that Hitch can sleep."

'"I wonder how Dietrich is going to explain a dead man driving a jeep." Moffitt asked as they left the hospital.

He won't have to." Troy explained.

"Why not?"

"The doctor said that Dietrich hadn't sent out any reports. The only ones who knew and would take note of it would be the Major or the Colonel's daughter; I don't think the Colonel's daughter will hang around here too long."

"And the Major is dead." Tully finished for him.

"Thanks to you." Moffitt added.

"I didn't do it on purpose, but I'm glad it worked out the way that it did. I figure Dietrich took enough chances for Hitch, maybe we owed him one."

Troy studied Tully's calm face, noting his serious expression.

"Maybe we did." Troy agreed. "Maybe he really didn't have anything to do with what happened. I guess we'll never really know for sure."

"Do we trust him the next time we need a truce. There's a high probability that there will be a next time." The British sergeant pointed out the obvious.

"Yeah," Troy responded, "we'll give him another chance; I think he's earned it." Glancing over his shoulder toward the hospital, Troy thought that maybe since he'd gotten another chance too, maybe he would actually be able to sleep.


End file.
